


Nothing to Lose

by countrygirlsfun



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Anxiety, Bullying, Cancer, Christmas, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Halloween, Happy Ending, High School, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, Secrets, Slow Build, Terminal Illnesses, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-02-22 00:20:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 72,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2487557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/countrygirlsfun/pseuds/countrygirlsfun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beacon Hills is supposed to be the place Stiles can keep his head down and get through his last year of high school in a new town.</p><p>He doesn't plan on meeting Derek Hale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome To Beacon Hills

The only thing worse than packing is unpacking. Luckily, Stiles Stilinski is on the last box. He and his dad have just moved to Beacon Hills and they left behind a few things in their transition from the big city to the smaller town. John Stilinski left his deputy's position, the first home he'd bought, and his wife's final resting place. Stiles left a high school that won't know he's missing, a house full of memories of his mother, and a five minute drive to visit his mom's grave.

They traded all those things for a new job as sheriff, a new house, and a new city. Stiles honestly wasn't all that upset at moving his senior year of high school. He'd been a nobody at his old school for as long as he could remember; he was the awkward kid with the buzz cut who talked too much that everyone, eventually, ignored.

Over the years he'd lost the talkative habits around the people at school; the only person he really talked with was his mom. He is comfortable babbling to his dad too, but he is always so busy being a deputy and the shifts are always awkward. Still, he was happy with his childhood and his life.

Of course, that all changed because that's what life does to happy families it seems. His freshman year of high school they all had started to notice the early symptoms. That spring was the worst in Stiles life when the diagnosis was made.

Frontal Temporal Dementia.

The two Stilinski men had to watch the woman they loved slowly fade away for the next year and a half. Towards the end she didn't even know who Stiles was. That – it was really fucking hard to deal with his own mother not knowing who he was anymore.

Six months later, when the sheriff of the little town of Beacon Hill decided to retire, John was offered the position in the smaller town. It wasn't much of a conversation of whether or not he'd take it. The pay was good, he needed to get out of the house he'd built with his now dead wife and Stiles, for his part, wasn't opposed to leaving all the memories behind.

They thought it would maybe be a good way for them to move on with their lives a little easier. They packed up their belongings slowly and made a few trips to Beacon Hills to scout out which high school Stiles would go to senior year, houses and the city in general. So by the time Stiles’ junior year was done they had a new house bought, their old house sold and they were moving to Beacon Hills.

It took most of the first month to get completely settled into the new house. Most of the major unpacking had happened right away; the kitchen, the living room, the bathrooms, all the most used and most important rooms got taken care of right away. After the house was functional at least, Stiles spent the rest of the summer unpacking his room, organizing the house, and settling in to the town.

He found a new favorite coffee shop that had the best muffins and the sweetest coffee. He scoped out the library and found it to be even better than the one he used to go to. He even tried out a few of the fastest ways to get to and from the school. He went to the school one day and it took him all of one hour wandering around the school to discover the school's weird obsession with lacrosse.

In the middle of a heat wave towards the end of August he spent an entire week doing the same thing everyday. He went to the library, got a novel, took it to his coffee shop and then sipped on an iced coffee for a few hours while he sitting in the freezing air conditioning and reading his book. He got through five books in five days trying out a new couch or chair every day.

By Friday the only spot he hadn’t sat in was the window seat, and man, he wishes he would have been there all week. He’d just finished eating his lunch and was sprawled across the bench in the window, leaning against the wall with one leg stretched out and the other bent at the knee. He’s been staring out the window at the people passing by for the last half hour while he ate when he see’s the guy.

Woo boy.

Tall dark and dreamy already went past Stiles once, giving Stiles a spectacular view of his butt in those basketball shorts in doing so. This time though, he watches TD&D slow a little, presumably, looking through the window to watch for anyone coming out the coffee shop door to avoid collisions. Instead, he sees Stiles, actually slows to a walk, makes eye contact and smiles with thee most adorable bunny teeth Stiles has ever seen.

He watches the guy run his gaze up and down Stiles’ body when he passes and returns the smile with a blush. Stiles has been so accustomed to being invisible that getting that kind of look from that kind of guy made his whole _weekend_.

His mother had been the first person Stiles told when he realized he might be just as much about boys as he is about girls. She had just smiled, ran her fingers over his short hair, held his face and said, "I don't care who you love as long as you love them well."

He'd kinda burst into tears and ended up plain ol’ sobbing when she gathered him into her arms but it didn't matter because it was his mom. He could always cry with his mom.

So while she'd been the one he told first, his dad was the one who threw a box of condoms at him before telling him, "Safe, Sane and consensual. Never make someone do something they're not comfortable with or be with anyone who doesn't respect you enough to do the same."

Stiles never actually used them before they expired because well, he was a nobody in that town. There was never anyone he got close enough to, to be comfortable doing that; he just couldn't have sex with a random person. Not that his first time needed to be super special or that he thinks it’s some rite of passage but he'd like to care about the person and be cared about in return. Meaningless sex just isn’t something he wants.

In a huge school filled with the jocks, the rich kids, the musicians and the bad boys, Stiles Stilinski didn't really stand out in the desirable department, even if he’d had friends.

So yeah, getting a second look from the gorgeous guy running past was a definite ego boost.

*

The week after they moved in, Stiles started stress baking and couldn’t stop. When it was all said and done he had containers on containers of goodies and needed somewhere to unload majority of what he made. With his dad is on shift, he calls the station looking for some advice on what he should do with all this food.

He’s in the kitchen leaning against the counter surveying the freshly cleaned kitchen and the veritable _mountain_ of desserts. Yesterday when he started he just wanted some cookies. That’s it, really, just a fresh chocolate chip cookie. He did make chocolate chip cookies but he also made ginger snaps, oatmeal raisin cookies, Special K bars and even krumkake for some reason.

The phone rings a few times until the front desk answers and he can ask for the sheriff.

“Sheriff Stilinski,” his dad answers gruffly.

“Not even going to ask what you can do for me, pops?”

“Stiles, why are you calling me at work? Are you ok?”

He must not have been able to see Stiles number on the caller ID because his tone goes from business to worried in an instant.

“I’m fine,” he’s quick to reassure. “I just have an abundance of baked goods and don’t know what to do with them.”

“Ah, finally wore yourself down then?”

He asks Stiles with a smug laugh. He’d warned Stiles yesterday when he found him rolling out krumkake that he was overdoing it. To which Stiles obviously responded that he had things well in hand thank you very much.

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. By 11:30 last night and I was just putting the brownies in the oven I realized I needed to stop. Then I turned around to see the kitchen was a disaster. I didn’t see my bed until 2am but it’s all clean now.”

“Good,” his dad says with a laugh, “I’ll be home in about an hour to sleep.”

His dad almost sounds wistful as he just talks about it before he pauses for a moment.

“What did you need again?”

“Ideas for where to take some of this?”

“Just bring them to the station, kid. Or you could use some to meet the neighbors. Oh, hey. Across the street, two houses down on the left is a Mrs. Jeska. You would get to work on your Polish if you go visit her and I think she would enjoy that.”

“Sure, sure,” Stiles agrees easily, “Have you met her? Is she anything like babcia?”

“I have met her, yes, she was yelling at the guy across the street in Polish and I ended up needing to be a translator slash mediator. She does have a better grasp of English than your grandmother does though.”

Stiles suppresses his laughter, mainly because he’s sure his grandmother would somehow find out he laughed at her, fly to California and smack his arm.

“What’s her house number again?”

“209, it’s the blue house.”

He says goodbye to his dad and promises to leave at least a little bit of what he made at the house. He changes out of his sweatpants because if this old lady is anything like his babcia he needs to dress like the ‘nice young boy’ that he likes to think he is. He ends up dressed in his best jeans, a navy V-neck t-shirt tucked in and even his good belt. He actually combs his hair so it looks less ‘bed head’ and more ‘responsible young man.’

He grabs the big container of krumkake, making sure there are some left for his dad, and the oatmeal raisin cookies for Mrs. Jeska. Then he grabs the special k bars, the ginger snaps and brownies for the station. That leaves some of the krumkake and some of the oatmeal raisin cookies for his dad. He makes sure his phone is on silent and heads out.

After putting most of the containers in the jeep for the station he walks over to the little blue cottage style house just down the street. He steels himself and knocks on the door. From inside the house he hears her grumbling as she walks to answer to the door. He puts his biggest smile on his face and waits for her.

She swings the door open and stands there all stern and stoic.

“Cześć Mrs. Jeska! I’m Przemysław Stilinski I live down the street. I brought you some desserts!”

Between the Polish greeting and name she brightens and bustles him into the house.

“I met your father last week! He speaks Polish very well. Did your babcia teach you? Come, bring what you made to the kitchen.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he responds, smile never wavering, as he gets led into the house and can’t help but laugh quietly. Her house smells just like his grandma’s house in Minnesota. Maybe it’s all that sausage they cook.

It’s a little house. The first floor looks like it just has the living room, kitchen and bathroom with the bedrooms upstairs he guesses. She leads him back to the bright kitchen and he puts the containers on the table.

“So what did you make?”

“Well, there’s oatmeal raisin cookies and krumkake.”

“Krumkake is Norwegian not Polish. But that’s ok, it looks wonderful.”

He can’t help but preen under her scrutiny. He’s not particularly exceptional at baking and cooking but he’s good at following a recipe and doesn’t burn anything, or hasn’t in a really long time.

Some days he thinks that’s his sixth sense: knowing exactly when whatever’s baking is done.

“Thank you. My babcia _did_ teach me to make those. She lives in Minnesota so the Norwegians and the Swedes are in equal numbers there with the Poles.”

Understanding passes across her face.

“Ah, I understand. Did she teach you from her church cookbook?”

He laughs picturing the worn out book with the “First Lutheran Church Cookbook” embossed on the cover that she did indeed teach him to cook from.

“Yes, ma’am, she did.”

“You seem like a good boy if you let your babcia teach you Polish and to cook. Are you good boy?”

He chuckles and says that yes he is. Or at least he tries to be. She puts her kettle on and they have tea while they talk about him. So they talk about his hobbies and what he likes to do and school. He tells her about his studies and his anxiety for the new school year. She tells him all about the town, filling him in on the gossip of whose grandkids are misbehaving.

It was actually really nice to sit and visit and drink tea with her. Her sarcasm and smattering of Polish thrown into the conversation kept him on his toes. It went all fine and dandy and then she said:

“Now sloneczko, don’t you go getting into trouble. There are strange things that happen in this town just like any other and you don’t need to go searching them out.”

Normally he’d be all over that. Finding odd police reports and eavesdropping on his dad’s phone calls. But the last time he did that he ended up being a witness at a crime scene and his dad was less than pleased. Stiles was in actual, real danger because it was a dude with a gun that had to be taken down by the SWAT team and Stiles was in the building with him.

That line of ‘acceptable coincidence’ and ‘reckless endangerment’ got too close to being crossed.

Then there was that time at school the players from the opposing team had beaten him up after a lacrosse game. He wasn’t even playing, he’d just mouthed off after the game and they’d pulled him under the stands and shut him up for a while.

Well, he never did stop talking but they landed enough punches that he’d stayed curled up on the ground after they left long enough for his dad to think he was missing for a few hours and panic.

After that he tried a little harder to keep his nose clean and not go investigating things he shouldn’t. It didn’t always work but he was going to try to avoid doing any sleuthing in this town. If he was being warned off by a little old lady he should probably listen to her. And, being a sheriff for the first time has a whole new level of stress on his dad. Stiles doesn’t need to add to it.

After a while he thanked her for the tea and promised to come back and that they would visit to keep his Polish practiced. She hugged him before she said, “You come back, sloneczko, and we make paczki together.”

She had said she would call him that name, sunshine, if he kept smiling like that. He promised to come back and made his way back to his own house.

Seeing his dad’s new county vehicle in the driveway, Stiles assumes he’s home and in bed and decides he can just leave for the station. They needed him on stupid overnights right away doing more to frustrate Stiles than anything. Mostly because it meant Stiles had been left to unpack most of the house all by himself. He may be good at a lot of things but decorating is not one of them.

It’s been a week and the route to the station from their house is already familiar. He parks in his dad’s spot and makes his way in with the desserts. The deputies all exclaim over him and the treats. He likes these people. They’re all pretty much family to each other and since his dad had come recommended and not in a hostile takeover they were fairly accepting of him and his kid all things considered.

One deputy though, was too good looking for his own good. Stiles had a hard time not picturing the guy as Captain America’s kid. The hair, the eyes, hmm- the muscles all made him very easy to look at. Or stare at. Details. But then he opened his mouth.

“Look at this little mama’s boy. Did mommy help you bake all these?”

He it says in this stupid goddam mocking tone of voice. And Stiles. Stiles is his father’s son and he has a bit of a temper. However, he also has a great deal of control on it. He doesn’t think he pulls off terrifying quite as well as his dad does but give him a few years to grow even more into his shoulders. He’ll get there.

There are few things that will spark a kind of, intense reaction from Stiles. Referencing his dead mother in gibes and taunts means you’re pretty much guaranteed more than a glimpse of his anger.

As it is, he squares his shoulders and lets his eyes and voice go steely. He crosses his arms across his chest so the guy can’t see his fists shake.

“Parrish, right?”

The guy’s smirk is fading but still there when he nods.

“Dad said you served in the army?”

Another affirmation.

“Well, then you’ll remember your alphabet.”

Glad that he was already done talking with everyone and ready to leave, Stiles starts to back slowly away towards the door as he says:

“Alpha Mike Foxtrot.”

At the deputy’s confused look he grins and knows that _that_ is actually quite frightening.

“Think about it,” he shrugs

After he turns around he calls out loud enough for the deputy to hear, “Adios, mother fu-“

The door slams and cuts it off but he’s pretty confident Parrish got the gist.

What an asshole. He’d have to warn his dad about his little outburst when he wakes up. He makes a reminder in his phone just in case he forgets.

What’s the use of being that pretty if you’re going to be such a rude ass punk?

*

The night before school started, Stiles unpacked his last box: office supplies. He'd obviously set up his desk with his laptop and printer and a pen or two when they first moved in, but now he pulled out the pen cup and filled it with his pens and pencils and highlighters and sharpies. He pulled out the new notebooks and the folders and binders.

He was more organized than he was used to but he would be ready for anything this way. He wasn't exactly anxious for his first day in a new school he was just apprehensive about the new situation. He wouldn't have a pattern for his classes or know where to sit or any of that stupid stuff he took for granted at his old school. And yet fought not to let himself get too worked up either.

Surprisingly, he fell asleep at a decent time so he only slept through one alarm in the morning. Before the second one can go off he jerks so hard he flails out of his bed when his dad pounds on the door really, _really_ aggressively.

"Stiles you up?"

His dad peeks his head in the door. Stiles sits up and throws an arm on the bed, from his spot on the floor between the bed and the wall, with a huff. He fixes his dad with his best unimpressed look while John just leans against the door frame.

"I am now,” he says, letting his voice practically drip with sarcasm.

”Thank you _so_ much for checking on me like that."

He gets up and walks over to his desk chair to grab his towel. He tosses it over his shoulder and makes his way to the door while his father just grimaces.

"Do you have to sleep naked son?"

Stiles walks past his dad cackling as John keeps his eyes firmly shut.

"If you would have waited another 30 seconds my alarm would have woken me up and then I would have put on some shorts. But no, you decided scaring the shit out of me was the way to go so I have no sympathy."

Stiles ducks into the bathroom and jumps in the shower. It’s quick and just enough to get those last few tendrils of sleep from his mind. When he’s done he wraps up with a towel around his waist, brushes away the morning breath, and makes his way back to his room.

It’s still early enough that he ends up sitting in a towel on his bed and actually thinking about what he might wear. He ponders for nearly 10 minutes before he gives up and goes to put on his favorite batman boxer briefs, some dark blue jeans, a graphic tee and a hoodie.

He has a look and he likes it, damn it.

Stiles checks the time and realizes he needs to leave, like, now to get there early like he wants. So he grabs his backpack and rushes down the stairs. His dad tosses him a package of pop tarts and hands him a to-go coffee mug. He doesn't have time to think about how every other year he'd woken up to a breakfast feast that his mom would always make. His dad just kisses his forehead and sends him out the door with a 'good luck' called after him.

*

Stiles makes his way over to the school in his jeep through the morning traffic. It’s nothing like what he expected it to be so he makes it to the school ahead of schedule and has his pick of parking spaces while the lot fills in. He takes one in the middle of the lot. That way he doesn’t interfere with anyone's 'reserved’ spot but he isn’t in the back either. He goes inside and weaves through the crowds of people towards his locker.

He met with the administrators last week and they showed him his classrooms, his schedule and his locker then. All he had to do this morning was take his gym bag to the locker room and make his way to Room 126 for first period AP Calculus.

What they were thinking when they put that class first thing in the morning is a mystery to Stiles.

He finds his locker and drops his lunch inside. After a quick stop in the locker room he gets to the calculus room with no problems and stops by the teacher's desk before sitting down to introduce himself.

"Mrs. Blazejewski?"

She looks at him kind of funny at first before shaking her head a little.

"Sorry,” she explains, “it's just, I'm considering giving you bonus points for being the first student to ever to pronounce my name correctly."

Stiles smiles, "I bet you can figure out which name on the list is mine now."

She scans over her list and smiles when she gets to his obviously Polish name while other students start filtering in the classroom.

"Oh yes, I remember hearing about you joining us this year. With a name like that I'm assuming you have a nickname?"

"Stiles, I go by Stiles," he nods.

"Well, Stiles, everyone calls me Mrs. B. Pick any seat and welcome to Beacon Hills."

He nods his thanks and makes for a seat towards the back. He's just about to sit down when someone grabs his arm. He flinches a little in surprise before he turns and sees the biggest brown eyes on the dude that grabbed him.

"Sorry dude, it's just- you don't want to sit there. That's somebody's spot already. It’s dumb I know but…"

The guy hesitates. He's about Stiles' height, a bit more muscled, a slightly uneven jaw and darker tanned skin. Stiles gestures for him to continue and the guy sighs.

"I’ve never seen you before so I’m assuming you’re new; you wouldn’t know about Whittemore and his posse. Just-" he pulls Stiles to the side of the room, "sit over here with me and you'll see what I mean."

Grateful for the help, Stiles puts a hand out.

"Thanks man, I'm Stiles."

"Scott."

The guy- Scott shakes his hand and they sit down.

Sure enough a couple minutes later and tall, blonde and cheekbones walks in and Scott starts in from his seat in front of Stiles like he's commentating on a sports game.

"And in walks Jackson Whittemore, top dog and all around asshole to his fellow students. On his arm is the lovely, but ditsy, Lydia Martin. And forever in his shadow is the ever cranky, Matt Daehler."

Stiles tries to stifle his laughter at the commentary but he gets noticed anyway. The blonde, Jackson, glares at Scott as they all sit down.

"Look at you McCall, already recruiting new members for your band of losers?"

Both Scott and Stiles smile back at him; Scott opens his mouth to say something but Stiles beats him to it.

"Wolałbym raczej być dziwakiem niż kretynem."

Stiles smirks at Scott's look of awe and Jackson's look of annoyance. _So much for keeping your head down, Stiles._ The teacher chuckles.

"Was that Russian?" Lydia asks, looking at him curiously from the other side of Jackson.

"Polish, actually," Stiles informs her.

"What did you say?" Jackson actually growls.

Like Stiles had insulted him or something. Why is it that the jocks always seem to have the most fragile egos?

"He said he'd rather be odd than be a jerk."

Okay, so maybe he hadn't been the nicest. Scott laughs at least and the rest of the class is watching the interaction curiously.

"Dude, you can speak Polish?" Scott asks in wonder as he turns and smacks at Stiles arm.

Stiles rolls his eyes when he looks back to Scott because it's honestly not that impressive.

"Polish grandmas don't care for it when their grandbabies can't speak their mother language."

"Dude, that's so cool," Scott enthuses but Stiles shrugs; it isn't that impressive.

"Like you don't speak Spanish at home or with your grandparents?"

Now it is Scott's turn to be unimpressed.

"A little, I guess, but everybody takes Spanish in high school around here."

"Si, si. Eso es correcto señor."

"Stop, just stop," Scott laughs.

"You're fluent in Spanish, too?" Lydia asks sounding annoyed.

"No, but I know enough to get by."

"What's your GPA?"

_Well, that's a weird question._

"4.0,” he admits, “what's yours?"

She looks away with her lips pursed in a thin line.

"Hey, ojo por ojo chica what's your GPA?"

She glares back at him and bites out, "3.9."

Stiles is half sure if he asked which class she got an A- in it'd be Spanish. He decides not to make more of a spectacle of himself though. He’s amazed with his own bravado already.

"That's really good."

She huffs and the bell rings for class to start. For being an AP class, Calculus isn't going to suck as much as he thought. Halfway through class, Scott passes a note back to him that just says, "What other classes do you have?" written below Scott's schedule. Stiles puts a check next to the ones he shares with Scott before passing the paper back to him. Sadly, they only have two other classes together.

After calculus Stiles has physics and Scott is nice enough to point the way to the class room promising to see him in English. The guy seems nice enough to Stiles; he isn't going to turn down any offers of friendship.

Physics is a lot of the same. Introduce himself, explain the nickname, sit in the back and watch people. Then it’s Econ followed by English with Scott and his girlfriend. A willowy brunette beauty named Allison. Somehow she is even nicer than Scott; Stiles wouldn't have believed it possible. He's read most of the books on the syllabus for that class so he is hoping it won't be that bad.

After English is over Stiles gets dragged along by Scott to sit with his group of friends for lunch. It’s how he finds himself at a table filled with people he doesn’t know instead of at an empty table in the corner like he’s used to. There’s a girl with blonde curls and a ferocious smile to go with her red lipstick and leather jacket. She’s next to a tall, built black guy who seems to operate non-verbally more than anything. Then there is a petite brunette girl and a tall boy with ridiculous blond curly hair.

He lets Scott introduce him to everybody and learns their names before he digs into his lunch letting the conversation flow around him. He watches them all for 10 minutes straight just observing and coming up with his own conclusions about the group before someone makes him join the conversation.

The blonde girl, Erica, acts like the blonde guy, Isaac, is her brother; while Boyd is clearly her boyfriend. Or at least they should be dating for the lack of space they give each other and the little whispered comments she keeps making in his ear. Cora, the petite girl, couldn't care less who's dating who and keeps looking to her left at the empty chair like she's used to talking to whoever sits there normally.

Scott and Allison only have eyes for each other so they miss how Isaac stares longingly at the both of them. They're all really just unfairly good looking and Stiles doesn't understand how this is the loser table. Scott breaks through Stiles thoughts after a while.

"So, Stiles tell us about yourself. What do you like to do? Play any sports?"

"Uh, well. I don't know. I don't really play a whole lot of sports. My old high school was huge so if you wanted to play you had to be really, really good and I'm mediocre at sports at best."

Cora gives him a funny look at that.

"I mean I'm pretty fast and whatever but I didn't care about putting the work in to get better coordination. I like to read? And uh, music, a lot."

He really needs to stop answering in questions. Scott, bless his heart, must understand Stiles is kind of uncomfortable being the center of attention and helps him out.

"We all play lacrosse. Me, Isaac, Boyd and Derek. Have you met Derek yet? Where is he Cora?"

"He wasn't feeling well."

Ah, ha. Stiles knew there was someone missing from the group.

"He's sick? Derek's never sick."

Scott seems concerned, Allison does too but she's trying to hide it when she asks, "Is he ok?"

Cora gives her a meaningful look that Stiles doesn’t understand and Scott misses completely. She assures the table that Derek is fine and everyone goes back to their lunches. It’s fairly odd being at a table full of people who talk to him. He doesn’t contribute too much, mostly because he’s overwhelmed by all the attention.

They all get up when the warning bell rings. Allison actually gives him a hug before she leaves, Erica smirks at him, Isaac shakes his hand and welcomes him and Cora just rubs his arm awkwardly saying she’ll see him around. They all disperse from there going off to a free period or gym.

*

For all the AP classes he’s taking, Stiles should have kept his free period after lunch a study hall. But he’s always enjoyed helping out and knew his own personal study habits well enough to know that he’d really never get any work done in a study hall. He says goodbye to the group from lunch and goes out the doors opposite the high school that lead to the elementary classrooms.

Apparently when the town had reorganized the schools they’d decided to leave the elementary classes as they were in this building. It wasn’t worth the effort to redo so many classrooms to better serve high school kids. And this way, students with free periods who didn’t want a study hall, like Stiles, could be occupied.

Stiles makes his way down the long, wide main hallway to the kindergarten wing. Kindergarteners are the best he thinks to himself before he knocks lightly on the door, opens it and walks in. He takes in the classroom noticing that while it’s just your average classroom, he finds himself loving it immediately.

Cubbies with little backpacks, a whiteboard, a piano in the corner, the kind of interactive calendar that the kids help with that tells the date and the weather of the day and the season all line the walls around the clusters of tiny desks. The wall with four big windows that look out to the playground and the forest beyond has any and all toys to make for awesome play time. There is even a house with food and dishes, dolls and cars and trucks, and a bookshelf with cushions and pillows in front of it for reading time.

As soon as he walks in all eyes are on him. All twenty little kids sit and stare but the teacher doesn’t hesitate to introduce him. She smiles at him as she makes her way to where he stands awkwardly.

“Class, do you remember how I told you we’d be having someone come in after recess to help me?”

Stiles watches them all nod enthusiastically.

“This is Mr. Stilinski and he’ll be helping me so I can teach you and maybe he’ll even get to play with you guys some days.”

Stiles is kind of surprised at how they look excited at that prospect.

“Now everybody work on the worksheet I just gave you while I talk to Mr. Stilinski.”

A chorus of ‘yes, Mrs. Dahl’ sounds in the classroom and Stiles can’t help but smile.

She turns to him and pulls him over to her desk with a hand on his elbow. She seems to be a kind lady and Stiles thinks she’d be more than a few years older than his dad but he’s a bad judge of ages. But there’s something about the way she holds herself and her smile that reaches her eyes that makes Stiles assume she’s probably a saint. She’s shorter than him, has short greying hair, and judging by the fact that she’s dressed in jeans and a nice blouse he knows she is a hands on, interactive type of teacher. She all but shoves him into her own chair while she leans against the desk.

“So Mr. Stilinski-“

“You can call me Stiles.”

She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Your first name is Stiles?”

“It’s a nickname and Stilinski might be kind of hard for some of them to say.”

“How right you are. Mr. Stiles it is then?”

“They don’t have to say the mister part.”

“Oh they do, dear.”

And apparently that’s all the say in the matter Stiles has.

“So today is the first day and I don’t have much for you to do. Mostly it will be paperwork and getting to know the kids. We were just going to go sit down for story time, would you like to read the book?”

A chorus of cheers rings out and who is Stiles to turn them down. Mrs. Dahl smiles and tugs him back to his feet to lead him over to the reading cluster of cushions. He lets himself get shoved down onto the biggest pillow nearest the bookshelf because Mrs. Dahl is stronger than she looks. He plops down and is about to reach around behind himself to pick a book when one is shoved under his nose. He grabs it gingerly, lowering it slowly to reveal who’s behind the picture book.

Stiles almost squeaks at the adorable he’s faced with. He’s confronted with dark brown curls framing the small little heart shaped face with the biggest green eyes peering up at him. Before he can pull himself together to form words- seriously, the cuteness is melting his brain- she pulls her pillow right up next to him and cuddles up. He ends up with the little girl putting an arm across his thigh and resting her head on her hand. He must stare at her for at least a minute but he doesn’t notice until he pulls his chin up.

The whole class is staring, even Mrs. Dahl. The kids look mostly confused but there’s a few with smiles. Mrs. Dahl looks like she’s going to burst into happy tears and Stiles is really confused.

“Uh, hi. Is it your turn to pick the book?”

She turns around and looks at him, straight faced and tells him the truth.

“No, it’s Anne’s turn.”

“So then is it fair-“

A little voice pipes up from the middle of the room.

“It’s ok. Vieve can have my turn.”

Stiles looks up to try and find the little girl in question but he can’t tell because now they’re all smiling at the girl- Vieve. Whatever’s going on is obviously a big moment for the little girl because even Mrs. Dahl looks inexplicably happy. He looks back down at Vieve and the book.

“Ready then?”

At her smile, he opens ‘The True Story of the Three Little Pigs’ and begins to read about the misadventures of the poor wolf who just needed a cup of sugar. Stiles had loved this book growing up because the wolf didn’t start out with bad intentions. He wasn’t the big bad wolf everybody made him out to be. He just ‘sneezed a great sneeze’ and who was he to waste a good meal?

After he finishes the book, the class returns to their seats and Mrs. Dahl pulls him into the hallway and hugs him. A few tears escape her when she pulls back and smiles at him.

“I’m sorry dear. I need to explain. I was this class’s pre-school teacher last year. These kids- this group is the same group from last year. When Genevieve came into class she came with a certain set of- warnings? That might be the wrong word. She’s very distrustful of strangers. She- she doesn’t react violently or anything but we were warned she might be prone to panic. She wouldn’t interact with any student for months. After Christmas she started sharing crayons. She was talking by spring break, but after that progress plateaued. We- her mother and I- were worried she may have fallen backwards over the summer.”

“And she not only talked to me but cuddled right up there with me. I think I’m understanding the reaction.”

She laughs lightly.

“Sorry for the waterworks. Tomorrow probably won’t be as exciting.”

Stiles shrugs because it doesn’t matter. He’ll still get to have a respite from being surrounded by teenagers to spending time with little kids. Teenagers lie and scheme and have agendas and drama. A six year old doesn’t have the guile to lie. They’re pretty straight up. If a 6 year old has a problem with you you’ll find yourself with glue in your lap or a kick to the shins.

She tells him what to expect for the rest of the week and lets him go back to class. He makes it through a government class with Isaac and Erica and survives gym with Scott. They’re making their way to their lockers because even though it’s only the first day they have homework.

Stiles isn’t really sure what to expect from Scott now that the day’s over. Being thrust into a group of existing friends was so weird at lunch. They all had their own conversations and backstories and Stiles doesn’t know any of it. He’s never been included by one person let alone a half a dozen.

So, he doesn’t actually know if this was a one-time thing. Like hey, let’s be nice to the new kid day one so his first day doesn’t suck but after that who cares. Do people like that exist? Assholes. He’s all prepared to turn away from Scott, the jerk that he is and never look back but-

“Hey dude, we all hang out after Erica gets done with volleyball practice. Did you want to come with? We’re just going to play some Super Smash Bros.”

Oh. That’s, unexpected to say the least. And that’s like, the best game ever. Damn this guy and his puppy dog eyes. Ok, so they’re not terrible people but Stiles is still going to turn him down. They make their way through the halls out to the parking lot. Some days it’s worse than others but in general people wear him out and having Scott’s group actually interact with him today has him feeling a little tired. Also, he needs to go grocery shopping.

“Sorry dude, that sounds awesome but I promised my dad I’d have supper with him tonight. He’s on night shifts this week.”

“Night shifts? What does your dad do?” Scott asks curiously.

Ah, here’s the limit of friendship. Even if people could get past him being quiet and well, awkward, nobody wants to befriend the Sheriff’s kid. They’re standing at Stiles’ Jeep and Stiles is ready to leave this conversation already.

“He’s the Sheriff.”

To his ever improving opinion of Scott the dude smiles brightly.

“Hey, I can totally see that. Well, from your last name at least. You don’t look too much alike.”

_Shit. Shit. Abort this line of conversation. Abort. Abort. Abort._

“My mom met your dad at the hospital and I was there one time he came in. She’s- well it’s not like her official job title or anything- she’s an RN and she’s in control of managing other nurses and doesn’t get paid enough for all the shit she does down there- regardless. She deals a lot with the victims that come into the ER and ended up meeting your dad a few times this summer. Seriously, though you don’t look like him very much.”

_Oh god, you can hold it together, Stiles._

“Yeah, I uh, I look- I look like my mom.”

“Dude,-“

_Stiles clings to his self-control, hoping he doesn’t flip out on this guy and can keep it together._

“I won’t say I’m sorry because I know it means nothing still. So we’re just going to go with an abrupt subject change that lets you go have supper with your dad.”

Wow. This guy is suddenly Stiles’ favorite person ever.

“Dude, tomorrow. Can we hang out tomorrow?”

Scott’s smile is like sunshine at Stiles’ suggestion.

“Sounds awesome. See you in Calculus.”

*

The thing of it is this: cooking will always, always remind him of his mom. Claudia Stilinski was a stay at home mother for most of Stiles’ childhood. When he got to be a teenager his mom got her job back at the library that she’d had before he was born. But growing up Stiles spent day after day with his mom being the one person he could count on to always be there.

Whether it was to curl up and read books together or watch movies or they were out exploring she was always there. As he got older she’d let him help cook supper. Some nights his dad would get home from his shift and be there to eat when they did. Other times they’d make up a plate for him and leave it in the microwave for whenever he managed to get home.

The more he grew the more he helped. It was just something that was a pattern for them. He’d come home from school, do his homework until his mom got home from the library and then they’d cook and talk about their days. When she got sick it was still a habit. He’d make some of the same meals but every now and again he’d try a new recipe and then have something to talk to his mom about.

Given how much his mother actually influenced his habits of cooking and baking Stiles’ dad hadn’t even gotten mad when Stiles told Parrish to basically fuck off for his comments when they first moved to town.

It wasn’t something that he wanted to do forever, like he would never be a chef by any means. But there was a certain aspect of catharsis it brought him. He discovered, when she was in the hospital pretty much full time, that he could still process his day while he cooked, even though his mom wasn’t there to help. In some ways that time made it hurt less to return to the kitchen after she died. It was something he could handle.

Well, he thought he could handle it up until his dad found him sitting on the kitchen floor against the cupboards sobbing a few days after her funeral. They managed to survive off of everyone’s pity casseroles for a while but when he went back into the kitchen after three weeks he felt the tension in his chest ease ever so slightly as he cooked burgers for him and his dad.

So even now, it’s something that will make him sad occasionally, but mostly it’s something he enjoys. He’s good at it too, people tell him. Really he’s no good with pairings or the subtleties of different flavors or spices. He’s not really into cooking anything too fancy or sophisticated.

He’s really good at making food that tastes good though and most of it is pretty healthy. Well, most of it is comfort food. So maybe not the healthiest in reality.

Today, though he’s feeling pretty damn good. It’s like, he was pretty happy when the day started. He’s a senior in high school so it’s his last first day of school in some respects. He was excited to get into classes and to spend the day with people who would ignore him for completely different reasons than the people who knew exactly why they didn’t want to be around him. And then just when he was getting to school ‘Light ‘em up’ came on the radio and how you can listen to that and not feel like walking through fire is beyond Stiles’ understanding.

So the day was off to a decent start and then Scott happened and his day ended up being remarkably good. Deciding to just keep it right on going he’s going to cook his dad’s favorite meal. He forgoes his plans for packzi, polish doughnuts, because those he saves for when he royally fucks up. Or days when he misses his grandma.

He makes his list in his head on the drive to the store. It doesn’t take him long to get everything he needs and then some. Pro-tip: never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry and planning to cook.

He still manages to get all the bags inside in one trip, because two trips are for wimps. The bags leave stupid marks on his arms but whatever.

He starts putting things away and the process of making the pierogies. They’re these potato and cheese stuffed dumplings his dad adores. He doesn’t make them often because, hello, butter fried potato filled pastries do not go well with high cholesterol. After a while though, he ends up losing himself in the cooking.

He makes the filling for the peirogies. Then he’s seasoning the pork chops. Then he’s mixing up a batch of chocolate chip cookie bars. He’s got the radio playing but he’s in the mode where he notices very little outside of all the things he has cooking and baking. So he doesn’t notice as he tends the frying pork, simmering sauces and browning dumplings that his dad comes home. He nearly jumps when he turns around and finds his dad is setting the table with a smile.

“Have a good first day?”

Stiles ducks his head and turns back to the stove to hide his smile. He’s still trying very much to not get his hopes up in case Scott and his group was a one-time thing. But dammit he did have a good day.

So he nods when he says, “Yeah, it went better than I expected.”

Probably the best first day of school he’s ever had.

“Glad to hear it, kid.”

Everything comes together five minutes later and Stiles can’t help but chuckle at his father’s delight in the meal. They talk about their days.

His dad is waiting on something to happen so he can actually investigate it. Beacon Hills is a lot slower paced on the crime front than either of them were expecting. For his dad this means more tedium, Stiles supposes, but Stiles is just glad he doesn’t have to worry as much about his dad coming home at the end of the day. It’s something he’s always lived with, that fear that when his dad straps on his gun and badge that he might not come back. Doesn’t mean he likes it, or is used to it.

Stiles tells him about Scott, about lunch, and the kindergarten class. His dad helps with the dishes and hugs him before Stiles has to go start his homework. He checks his Facebook and sees he’s got friend requests from his lunch table.

And Lydia Martin.

He laughs to himself and accepts them all. A few hours later he’s got his rough draft for English done and the first problem set for Calc started. He ends up on Tumblr on his phone once he gets in bed but that doesn’t last long.

Between the social interaction of the day and the huge meal he made he’s exhausted. He texts his dad he’s going to sleep and passes out even though it’s barely 11:00pm. All in all it was a good day and he doesn’t know what to expect from the next one.

*

He’s one of the first people in the Calculus classroom the next day and that’s fine with Stiles. He intends to take his seat in the back and observe his classmates when this dude comes up behind him and starts hassling him for his Captain America shirt.

“Rogers,” he says with a sneer almost, “you need another dose of that serum? You’re looking a little scrawny there Cap.”

Fuck you too. Stiles takes one look at the stupid attempt at scruff and the dark hair and counters with a grin.

“Nobody likes the rich asshole jock, Mr. Stark. Oh wait- that’s like, your entire personality,” Stiles shrugs, “my bad.”

The guy actually beams at Stiles. Like the object of his teasing talking back is the best thing that’s happened to him. Stiles knows the type though. The jock who inevitably will find ways to torment the nerd. Whatever, Stiles hadn’t expected this place to be perfect and yesterday had set the bar really high anyway. The teacher walks in before the dude can say anything else though and he sits down a few seats away from Stiles.

He’s pulling out his problem set from last night when he sees Scott tumble into the classroom and make for the last empty seat. He doesn’t spare anyone a glance as he throws himself down into the desk just as the final bell rings. Class discussion goes well right up until Stiles notices that the jock is _smart_.

Damn him.

After class, Scott doesn’t hang around to talk to Stiles at all so he just makes his way to physics. Where he promptly sees the guy at his lab table. No. No way. Damn seating chart. He huffs and plops down on the stool next to him. He’s busy pulling his notebook out of his backpack when the teacher walks in and doesn’t give the guy the chance to say anything.

The class goes well except his apparent lab partner is super annoying. First he stole one of Stiles’ pens without asking. Then he was absently chewing on the end. That’s Stiles favorite pen! And he’s chewing it! Then the clicking starts. It’s like the guy immediately puts him on edge because normally he can tune that shit out but not today apparently.

Click. Click-click.

Clickclickclickclick

Stiles actually grabs the pen from his hand and shoves a pencil at him to make it stop. He gets a weird annoyed look but nothing else. Then the guy is all up in Stiles space. They’d started out a good distance apart from each other but throughout the class and especially when they started working on the joint pre-lab he keeps scooting closer and closer to Stiles. Until they’re practically pressed together all along their sides and Stiles is agitated.

He doesn’t really know why, he just knows he doesn’t want to be around this guy right now. He called him scrawny. It’s not until they’re walking out that Stiles realizes the guy is the same guy from the coffee shop. It’s the guy who ran past and checked him out. So much for that, Stiles can’t help but assume.

He gets a break from the dude in econ and sees he shares that class with some of the people from the lunch table. Erica and Isaac both smile and acknowledge him when he walks in to take the last seat available. Then he goes to English and theres the dude chilling with Scott.

It- it’s not like Stiles thought he’d have a priority to Scott but he just didn’t see him being _friends_ with the stupid guy. Stiles really needed to learn his name so he could stop calling him ‘puffed of jock dude’ in his head. Whether Scott deliberately ignores Stiles or is just oblivious remains to be determined. As it is, Stiles walks past and takes a seat in the back.

It doesn’t get him out of having to participate in the discussion of their rough drafts but this way he can see the looks he’s being given. If he’d sat in front of those two who knows what they’d do behind his back. When they’re still talking to each other as the class is dismissed he catches part of the conversation about needing to tell Isaac something at lunch.

Great, so he’s the guy who was missing yesterday. Perfect. Stiles goes back to his locker, grabs his sack lunch and goes to sit outside. It’s perfect outside in the sun until he sees the guy coming for him. He sighs and waits for a new insult.

Instead the guy says, “Hi, Stiles my name is Derek and I’m sorry I called you scrawny.” _What_?

“I’ve been told that I am not allowed to have my lunch back until I apologized and brought you back with me. Apparently my friends are now _our_ friends and they didn’t appreciate that apparently it’s my fault you’re not having lunch with us.”

Stiles is trying to reconcile the annoying dude from this morning with this sincere, if only slightly begrudging, apology. He hears his dad’s voice saying something about perception and bias float through his mind. He supposes that most of what Derek had done to annoy him was not done with intent. It was just Stiles finding annoyance where he wanted to. He’s pondering this while Derek says something about Scott having mentioned that Stiles has had a rough couple years and that snaps him back to the conversation.

“I don’t need your pity friendship,” he cuts in.

Derek looks slightly taken aback at the comment. But shakes his head and says, “There’s no pity and I shouldn’t have called you scrawny. Most days what I say out loud doesn’t match what I meant to come across. I really am a Marvel fan and didn’t mean to be a jerk.”

Oh, ok then. Really though Stiles can relate to that.

Stiles starts packing up his lunch when he says, “Apology accepted. But dude, don’t chew on my pens.”

Derek laughs.

“Sorry, I don’t realize I do it half the time.”

They walk back in to the lunch room to the table together. Erica releases Derek’s lunch with a grin and tugs Stiles down to sit next to her. And all is right in the world again.

Stiles never knew it could be that easy.

*

Attempting to avoid snap judgments, he’s been trying not to label the people who have befriended him. However, it’s really hard not to with these people. Not that they’re typical high school cliché’s or anything. Well, most of them are not. But they just all have such distinct things about them. It doesn’t take a genius to read people and Stiles always has been pretty good at it. There are just some things that he doesn’t doubt will change his mind in his assumptions about these people. He’ll blame being a cop’s kid and watching too many interrogations until he’s blue in the face.

For example, Boyd, ever the stoic, has had something awful happen to him in his childhood that made him that quiet. Isaac displays a lot of signs of someone living with PTSD and friends who accommodate that. There’s never any loud noises, nobody yells or slams things, even in simple annoyance. In classes with less of their group, it’s clear to see the differences. Stiles had witnessed the full body flinch that Isaac had no hope to control when someone slammed their books down right behind his head. He’d also witnessed that split second of fear wash across his face. Erica is harder to pin down. He can’t tell if she’s actually that fierce or if she uses it to hide something she used to be.

Cora seems to either really enjoy hanging out with her brother and his friends or, the more likely option, she is just a little too mature to get along with her own classmates. Scott is a puppy. He likes everybody and thinks everybody deserves a chance to be good. He is the dude who always has ear buds swaying from his ear, plays whatever instrument he can get his hands on except a piano and already has multiple tattoos. Allison is yet another enigma. She is beautiful and kind and hiding something. Stiles suspects it is the genetics to be a badass. He’d met her mother once. That was enough.

And Derek. Well, Derek seems pretty clear to read. He’s a jock. And he likes it. He is popular but it’s more of a he knows everybody and their life story and less oh gawd he’s hot let’s put him on a pedestal. There’s nothing really wrong with enjoying being liked by your peers. Stiles just hopes that Derek has the good sense not to let it get to his head.

He mostly interacts with other jocks. Which means Scott, Isaac, Boyd, occasionally Jackson and the rest of the cross country and lacrosse teams. He sits with them in classes and messes with them in the hallways between classes. Lunch is always for the group but Stiles has no idea how he spends his after school hours. Probably with his teammates. Basically he’s decided that Derek is a jock but he’s also a secret nerd.

He’s seen the guy’s calculus homework.

It was beautiful.

Stiles has always been the type to get his stuff, go to class, mind his own business and avoid getting into fights or letting people bully him. It hadn’t always worked at his old school. Here, though, it was easy to slip out of classrooms and get to his locker without anybody coming after him. He got really good at avoiding people at his old school.

He doesn’t realize he’s doing it here until one day Scott says something about him practically disappearing sometimes. He shrugs it off. Sometimes it’s nice for a minute or two alone. But he doesn’t always bolt away from classrooms anymore. Sometimes he’ll walk out with Scott or Allison or Isaac and chat.

The first weekend of school and they have a group project in Calculus. Well, a partner project. Luckily, Stiles gets paired with Derek. Now, that’s nothing against Scott but he’s seen the dude’s homework so far and well, they wouldn’t last as partners. It’s not that bad of a project either. Like, it’s just a bigger homework set with harder problems. Between two people it’s not as bad, but it is due Monday so they literally have to do it this weekend together sometime.

He doesn’t normally hang out in the locker room after gym. It’s just not a pleasant place to hang out. It’s always humid from the showers and reeks of sweat and outside. They actually have gym outside at this school and it’s amazing. Until you combine that with an already rank locker room and then it’s just plain gross.

Thursday he’s one of the last people in the showers. He’s got a bruise on his ribs he doesn’t know what it’s from and he doesn’t want anybody to see and ask questions. Most everybody has cleared out by the time he’s done and he thanks whoever’s listening he’s got his shorts back on when someone taps his shoulder. He does not yelp in surprise but he may squeak. A little. Fighting a losing battle with a blush he turns around and finds Derek smirking at him.

“So that calculus project?”

Stiles turns back and grabs his shirt and throws it on. When he turns back Derek’s got a glazed over look on his eyes. Stiles snaps in front of his face.

“Dude?”

His eyes come back into focus right away so Stiles doesn’t really worry.

“Huh? Oh sorry. So uh, homework. When works best for you?”

“I don’t care. I don’t really have plans for the weekend outside of cooking a meal for whenever my dad gets off shift.”

_And possibly cleaning the entire house because it’s bugging him._

“How ‘bout tomorrow? Then if it takes longer than we think we can do it Saturday too.”

“Sounds reasonable. Outside of you giving up a Friday night.”

Derek looks at him quizzically.

“What else do you think I’d be doing?”

Stiles shrugs, unsure of himself for some reason.

“I don’t know dude. New in town, remember?”

“Oh, right. Well, there’s not much to get up to on weekends. Parties don’t really happen that often. The old sheriff was terrifying. The new one is equally intimidating.”

Stiles barely controls his laughter. He knows his dad is good at what he does. He also knows his dad can be the big scary guy sometimes. He’s just such a softie in real life that the different perceptions people have of his dad always end in Stiles’ amusement. Derek misinterprets the look on his face.

“Hey, have you seen the guy? He’s got the sunglasses and the gun and the stare to make anybody afraid of him!” Derek declares all indignant at Stiles’ reaction and Stiles can’t keep the bark of laughter from escaping him.

“Dude. That’s my _dad_. Did you really not know that?”

Derek shakes his head looking a little pale.

“Nope.”

Stiles shrugs again because it’s really not a big deal.

“Well, that’s embarrassing for you.” He snarks. “But it’s not like he pulled you over or something.”

Derek ducks his head a little and oh dear sweet baby Jesus that’s a blush. Stiles loses it.

“He pulled you over?”

“Not me. My brother. I was just in the car with him.”

“Hmm. Fast car?”

That stupidly blinding smile is back now.

“Oh yeah.”

Stiles can only shake his head.

“So the homework. Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow. I was going to lift a little. If you wanted to wait?”

“Do they let non-athletes use the weight room?”

“Sure, I mean. I would imagine. I don’t know that anyone’s ever wanted to. It’s game day for the football team so it should either just be the volleyball team or nobody.”

“I’ll just lift with you until you’re done then.”

Derek raises an eyebrow at him almost incredulous. How his eyebrows can communicate so much Stiles is still trying to understand.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just- nothing.”

He says as he shakes his head. When he doesn’t elaborate Stiles just lets it go and grabs his backpack to leave for the day. They start to leave together.

“So tomorrow. My house or yours?”

They’re out walking through the halls together and Stiles doesn’t have even the smallest desire to be invisible.

“Yours?”

“Perfect, then I can make enough for my dad to have supper too. Today was the last of the leftovers in the fridge.”

“You’ll cook?”

“Damn straight. What do you want to eat?”

Derek’s at his locker, picking books and obviously thinking it through. He slams the door shut and spins the lock in place before they’re walking out to their cars.

“Can you make lasagna? Or spaghetti?”

Stiles lifts a shoulder in a shrug.

“Either, pick one.”

“Spaghetti. Oh, and garlic toast.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Stiles says with a smile and gets into his jeep, oddly excited for the next day.

*

Working out with Derek is just asking for trouble, Stiles realizes. He’s just getting to know the guy as a person and a friend, he doesn’t need to objectify him too. It’s nice to work out again though; he had played league baseball in their old town until his mom was sick. He missed that burn of unused muscles and the endorphins running away with his adrenaline.

It’s almost easy to focus on his own workout and ignore Derek entirely. Except Derek is beautiful so it’s actually really hard to look away from the muscles and the sheen of sweat and the smile and shit he’s staring. Derek cracks a joke and Stiles relaxes and goes back to just working out.

After they shower off they go to Stiles house. He’d warned his dad and Derek both as to what was going on. Namely, Stiles was having a friend who is a boy over and no, dad, you’re not allowed to clean your gun when you get home from work. They end up at Stiles’ kitchen table with their books, notes, assignment, and graphing calculators littered across it.

Stiles was right; Derek is stellar at math. Before long they’re half done with the problem set and Stiles sets about making them supper. Derek packs up the homework and Stiles directs him around the kitchen so he can set the table. They’re both finishing their tasks when the Sheriff walks in. He says something embarrassing about how it’s nice to see Stiles making friends and the evening goes smoothly from there.

They end up hearing about the Hale family more than anything but neither the Sheriff nor Stiles feel the need to add anything about Claudia. Derek stays and helps with dishes and then comes back the next morning and they finish the assignment. But only after Stiles bitches about being awake before noon on a Saturday for twenty minutes over coffee.

Derek doesn’t actually get to stay and hang out claiming he has a family thing to get back to. It doesn’t really bother Stiles all that much. He just gets to go back and lay in bed and laze around for a while before he does indeed clean the entire house.

Sunday he spends with his dad. Who finally got a case! Well, it’s more a mystery than a case. There was an unusual animal death in the Preserve near the town. It was right near a popular hiking trail so for some reason animal control decided to let the sheriff know about it. He tells Stiles there were similar attacks two years ago but before they could figure anything out they abruptly stopped after a month of activity.

Stiles and his dad look over the old cases and the few incident reports. It’s not much to go on but if it turns as violent as it did previously, between the two of them they think it won’t be an issue figuring it out.

He’s heading to his room to putz around on his computer when he remembers with sudden clarity that it’s picture day Monday. He texts Derek and asks if seniors still have to take the pictures or if they can just submit a senior picture they’d already had taken. He and his dad had decided it wouldn’t hurt to get a few pictures taken during the summer and had hired a photographer. It had been a fun afternoon of cliché poses and locations but they ended up with some pretty good pictures regardless.

Derek texts him back that they do have to take the pictures at the school but that most people try and get away with doing something funny in them. He tells Stiles he’s going to wear his leather jacket with a white v neck t-shirt and let his mother grease his hair down. So Stiles spends the next hour trying to decide what to wear and do.

He has to wake up extra early to do what he has planned. In his old town he’d sneaked into the local gay bar when he was 16 and was immediately adopted by the group of queens in the place. They taught him a lot. He was mortified throughout most of the conversations but honestly they could teach him more than his dad. No matter how well-meaning his dad was in his efforts some things were just meant not to be discussed between father and son.

How to dress like a twink in a club is one of them.

Coming from the queens it isn’t an insult. It’s just a different type of costume or make-up or persona for Stiles. It’s not something he can ignore. He knows he’s got a baby face for the time being but he will never be big and burly. It just wouldn’t fit his frame. So for now he just plays up his lack of facial hair and lean body shape.

He’s not going to go in the full outfit or full makeup they taught him. He leaves the leather pants firmly in the back of his closet but wears a plain t-shirt that fits him instead of a baggy graphic tee. He actually does his hair and throws just the smallest amount of glitter in with the product that sweeps it up out of his eyes. His eyes though. He can’t decide if he wants to do anything else or not. He figures go big or go home and puts on liner, a nude shadow and mascara. It’s the least the queens would ever let him get away with but if he’s lucky nobody will notice until he’s in front of the camera.

He throws a hoodie on and gingerly puts the hood up over his hair. He’d look ridiculous wearing sunglasses and a hood so he just throws the makeup remover in his backpack and hopes they take the pictures right away.

He’s not disappointed. He gets to calculus and they end up just going over the homework until the class gets pulled to go take their pictures. Well, all the seniors get pulled out of their classes too and are made to stand in alphabetical order in the cafeteria.

Derek looks exactly like a greaser from the 50’s. He even left some stubble making him look even more like a bad boy. He also knows just how good he looks like that and isn’t afraid to play it up. Stiles just rolls his eyes at the antics.

Stiles had avoided really looking at anyone so far today, hiding under the hood. But as Derek walks past after getting his picture done Stiles pulls the sweatshirt off and tosses it to him. He kind of enjoys the hell out of making Derek’s jaw drop.

Belatedly, he realizes that he just kind of outed himself. Not that straight dudes can’t dress like this but with the makeup and oh god the _glitter_ , he’s pretty much declared that he knows exactly what he’s doing dressed like this. It doesn’t make him as nervous as he thought it would. Maybe it’s because of that kid Danny. He already knows Danny to be one of the few gay guys in the school and everybody loves Danny.

Derek actually stumbles over to Stiles, mouth hanging open like he’s trying to find words and his brain is failing him.

“You- you look…”

“Dashing I know.”

Stiles says with a grin trying to get Derek to snap out of it. If he thinks about it, Derek’s giving him a look that’s hungry more than anything else. Whatever, Derek probably isn’t even into guys.

“Hold on to that for me would you? I like this shirt better without it.”

He winks and moves up in line while Derek heads back to class shaking his head and laughing. He makes his way through the line and finally sits on the little stool. He drags his fingers through his hair one more time and gives the camera his best leer before he bounces out of there. Nobody really pays any attention to him until he gets into the hallway. He was going to stop at his locker and grab his physics notebook but he gets shoved into his locker before he has the chance.

He gets a good look at Matt Daehler then from his vantage point pressed into the wall of lockers. He also gets a good view of the disgust on the guys face and it makes Stiles feel small instantly.

“Knew from the minute I saw you, you were a twink. Thanks for proving me right so quickly.”

It’s not that bad of a statement but the way he said the words. Like a twink, and by extension Stiles, is disgusting and repulsive and Stiles doesn’t much care to look like this anymore. Daehler backs off and takes off for the calculus classroom at a fast pace. Stiles turns and grabs his notebook with shaky hands and follows slowly after him. He messes his hair up and when he gets into the classroom he takes his sweatshirt back from Derek, puts the hood up and ignores the odd looks Derek gives him.

It’s not the first time someone has bullied him and he has a feeling it won’t be the last he sees of Matt.

Between classes he washes the makeup off and runs some water through his hair to get rid of the glitter. Derek eyes him in physics but doesn’t comment and leaves Stiles alone for which Stiles is actually really grateful.

*

Derek and Stiles end up falling into an easy rhythm like the previous Friday had been. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday they lift weights together, shower off and end up at Stiles’ house doing homework and eating supper. It’s a couple weeks later before Stiles realizes they always hang out at his house. Never Derek’s.

They’re in Stiles’ room; Derek at the desk and Stiles on his bed with physics notes spread out around him. He sits up and leans against the headboard. Curious about the fact that they always end up here he asks, “Hey Derek, why do we always hang out here?”

Derek turns around with his face scrunched in slight confusion.

“What do you mean?”

Stiles shrugs, “Well, like how come we never hang out at your house?”

“Well, I thought it was easier to be here so you could cook for your dad. And my family- well, I told you I have a big family. Sometimes it’s nice to have a break from the chaos. And my parents are- they’re just really protective and sometimes overly concerned with my well-being.”

Stiles gets that, he really does. Sometimes it’s just nice to have quiet time and space away from people. He’s actually kind of glad he can be that for Derek.

“Why do you ask?”

Stiles doesn’t really know how to explain so he goes with, “Well, you met my whole family when you met my dad. I’ve met Cora. It might be nice to switch it up sometime is all.”

“You want to meet my family?”

Stiles feels like he’s going to say something embarrassing but his brain ignores his efforts to think and blurts, “Isn’t that what friends do?”

Much to his relief Derek just smiles and says, “Yup. That sounds about right. I’ll talk to my mom and maybe there will be a day that she can get off and make us supper.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, Derek. She doesn’t need to take time off work.” Geez.

Only it is apparently a big deal for Derek, Stiles finds out, and that’s how he ends up going to the Hale’s house for dinner and meet-the-family night.

*

The Hale’s house is huge. Derek’s parents wanted to meet him as much as Stiles wanted to meet Derek’s family so here they are driving up to this beautiful house in the woods.

Stiles had been mildly concerned about the time it was taking to get there but the more he thought about it, the drive was taking the same amount of time as it takes to get to his house it’s just they’re driving through trees and Stiles drives through neighborhoods.

Stiles had very nearly gasped when they pulled into the clearing. The house is _beautiful_ and Stiles is having trouble balancing his excitement and his anxiety. He’d call the house a mansion for its size and inherent grandeur. Home would be more accurate to describe the atmosphere though.

There are cars inside and in front of the garage; a garage with junk and toys and tools lining the edges. The front of the house is stately and imposing however the bikes, balls, toys, and wagons strewn about make it feel a little more welcoming. Stiles knows Derek has a big family so it follows that they’d need a big house a few cars.

Derek parks next to a gorgeous Camaro and turns to face Stiles with a gleeful look. Stiles gets out and reverently walks around the sleek black Camaro while Derek just laughs.

"It's Alex's. If he sees you drooling on his car he won't let us drive it though."

Derek says as Stiles is petting the hood. His eyes widen in surprise.

"He'd let me drive it?"

Derek just laughs and herds him away towards the house.

On the way over Derek had mentioned in a failed attempt to be casual that his mom took a half day so she could come home and cook a big dinner. Apparently his mom is the best cook ever (which, doesn't everybody say that about their mom?) but she rarely has the time to do so. So they turned it into a family gathering and Derek's older siblings are even coming home so everyone's there.

Stiles feels a bit like he's intruding on family time but Derek was insistent that it was ok. Better than ok because he wanted his family to meet Stiles. And it's easier to just meet them all at once he says.

Stiles is not so sure. Especially when as they walk through the toys and bikes to the front door Derek adds "they're all home already." He says it with a smile like he's really excited and Stiles tries to calm down.

But there's going to be Derek's parents and 6 siblings. Derek had missed that first day of school when he'd been nearly overwhelmed by the lunch table and Scott's group. And here people aren't going to just be sitting at a lunch table. They'll be up and around and surrounding him. He won't know where the bathroom is if he needs to escape. He’s probably going to say something stupid; what if he offends somebody. What if they don't laugh or what if they do laugh. What if they'd rather Derek have more jock friends not the weird new nerdy guy.

What if he hyperventilates while sitting on their front steps?

Oh god he's halfway to a full blown panic attack before he's aware of Derek kneeling in front of him, strong hands are holding his wrists and he's saying something.

"Breathe in-2-3, out-2-3. Good keep breathing Stiles. Can you hear me?"

Stiles takes a deep breath and holds it while he nods.

"You okay?"

Stiles just closes his eyes and leans back against the steps. "Sorry."

He can hear Derek's frown when he says, "You're apologizing? I should apologize. Also you didn't answer my question."

Stiles smirks a little. "I'm fine. Mildly embarrassed but fine."

"Don't be. Isaac actually blacked out one time before we could calm him down."

Uh, what? Scott had said Isaac had some anxiety issues but-

"Confused doesn't look good on you."

Stiles scowls at the comment and Derek laughs.

"Isaac had some shit happen to him and has some PTSD he deals with. The last time he came over Cora slammed the front door closed behind him and triggered a panic attack."

Ok so he's not the only one in their social group prone to anxiety and/or panic. Good to know. He wipes a hand down his face and sighs.

"Wanna fill me in on what freaked you out?"

Stiles figures he might as well, it’s not like anything bad other than embarrassment will come from telling him.

"Sometimes I- people are overwhelming and I realized that I wouldn't know where to go when I needed to breathe."

Derek shrugs again like dealing with friends with anxiety is no big deal and says, "Easy. I'll take and show you my room and the bathrooms first thing. And you can go there whenever you need."

Stiles can feel himself calming down and the tension leaving his shoulders. Derek gets up and let's Stiles follow him again.

They walk through the front door and where Stiles had imagined being mobbed by all eight of the other Hales there's just what he assumes to be Derek's parents with a huge dog sitting at their feet. He knows Mrs. Hale is a lawyer but you'd never guess from her casual jeans and t-shirt. He tries to get himself together while he shrugs his backpack off.

It's not like she looks anything like his mother. _He_ looks like his mom. Fair skin, brown eyes light brown hair and dainty features. Mrs. Hale has dark, dark brown hair a strong jaw she clearly passed on to her children and intense green eyes.

It's just.

When his mom had been in the hospital he'd brought her comfy clothes and blankets and books and things to make her comfortable. It wouldn't be so bad but the last shirt he'd gotten for her was her favorite one of those stupid Target V-neck shirts.

And Mrs. Hale is wearing the same purple shirt.

"It's nice to meet you Stiles. Derek's told us all good things."

She'd put her arms out for a hug but as she sensed his hesitancy she's dropped them slightly. He shook himself internally and stepped into her embrace. He pulls back after a moment to summon a smile.

"Thank you it's nice to meet you too Mrs. Hale."

"No, no." She smiles. "Call me Talia and this is my husband Andrew." He shakes Andrews hand and is saved from any awkward conversation by a very familiar squeal of excitement.

"Mr. Stiles! Mr. Stiles!"

He turns and sees her running towards him.

"Genevieve!"

She runs towards him arms outstretched so he's got no choice but to pick her up when she reaches him. She wraps her little legs around his torso and throws her arms around his neck so she can look him right in the eyes.

"What are you doing here? I didn't invite you yet."

They all laugh and he feels Derek come up close behind him.

"I invited him Veive. He's my friend."

She gets this annoyed look when she announces, "You can't have him, he was my friend first."

They all laugh again but this only agitates her more. She's apparently very serious about their friendship. Derek must get that because he comes around and takes her from Stiles.

"Can we share him V? I really want to be his friend too."

She frowns. "I suppose. He was my friend first though."

Derek looks like he's going to correct her so Stiles smiles and says, "She's right you know. We've been friends since the first day of school. You didn't show up until the second day."

Derek looks up at the ceiling and concedes.

"Fine, fine he was your friend first. Can I show him the house now or would you like to do that?"

She wiggles around until he puts her down.

"You can. I have to 'finish my homework before supper so I can play after.'"

She grumbles and walks away. Talia's shaking her head watching her daughter and Derek smiles after his sister and her antics. Andrew though asks what they must all be wondering.

"So how do you know Genevieve?"

"I'm Mrs. Dahl's teaching assistant for the semester."

A sense of understanding passes over the adults faces. Derek though looks confused when he mumbles, “I should have known that.”

They pay him no mind but Stiles can’t help but wonder what that means. He doesn’t think he’s ever mentioned it to Derek that he’s a TA nor has Derek ever asked what class he has after lunch. He lets it go in favor of following Derek once he says, "I'm gonna show Stiles around."

He gets the full tour. There’s a sitting room by the front door, a family room, a library, and a bathroom as well as the kitchen and the dining room on the first floor. Second floor holds all the bedrooms. He doesn’t bother remembering which rooms belong to which siblings he just has to remember to go all the way down the hallway and it’s the last room on the left to get to Derek’s.

He didn’t really have any expectations for Derek’s room. Except that when he walks in it totally meets them all. Derek just walks in and flops back onto his bed. Stiles peruses the room a little though. There are no posters but there is a corkboard above the desk. It’s got the high school’s athletic schedule on it.

There’s some movie ticket stubs pinned up, a picture of the lunch table group with the Hale family. They all look dirty but happy like they’d been out camping or running through the woods. There’s more pictures of what looks like different family vacations. There’s a postcard from New York and one from LA. The desk has the usual layer of papers and junk on it with a laptop and a tablet on top. He turns and takes in the rest of the room.

Derek is at the end of a queen size bed; laying back while his feet stay on the ground. There's an in-suite bathroom, huge walk in closet with clothes spilling out into the room. There’s a bookshelf on the wall next to a big window that has an honest to God window seat. Stiles could get lost in a book for hours in that spot in the sun. As much as he wants to curl up there he walks over and flops backwards next to Derek on the bed.

They had done arms and abs in the weight room today and Stiles is _sore._ It hits him when he goes to take his sweatshirt off and his arms protest the movement. Derek must be just as tired because he’s just laying there with his eyes closed. Stiles is almost too tired to let the silence remain. Almost.

“Your house is really beautiful.”

“Tell my mom that, she’ll love you forever.”

They both realize that they are just so out of energy that they lay there in silence again. Stiles feels himself relax into the bed and gets close to dozing off just listening to their even breathing.

“Your little sister is the cutest person I’ve ever met.”

“She gets that a lot. It’s her age. We all were that cute at six.”

Stiles startles at the feminine voice coming from the doorway. The flinch aggravates the sore muscles and he groans before he can think better of it. The girl huffs a laugh as she walks past and lies down on the other side of Stiles. He reaches across his body to offer his hand and introduces himself, “I’m Stiles.”

“Laura.”

She says as she takes his hand and shakes it. Kind of. The angle is off.

She waits a beat before she adds, “What are we doing here guys?”

“Breathing,” Stiles says on an exhale.

“Derek, did you pick up another member for your merry band of misfits?”

Stiles scoffs because, “Derek’s not the boss of that group. Scott is clearly the leader of our little crowd. But given what I’ve learned about all of them I would say, yes, Laura I am qualified to be a misfit.”

“Oh yeah? What’s your issue?”

“She’s not even being mean. That is literally how she talks to people.”

Stiles smiles at the pure exasperation in Derek’s voice. Besides, Stiles likes straightforward people, mainly because he is one.

“I know. Anxiety, mostly.”

“Oh sweet, I don’t need to go study anything new then. That got covered in the great research binge I call: Understanding the Sick Puppy that is Isaac Lahey.”

“OH. That is the perfect description. I don’t know what that guy went through but some days when he looks so sad I just need to hug him and his stupid head of curls.” Stiles enthuses.

Laura just nods, “Wrap him up in a blanket until his world stops hurting or something.”

“Yup. But every other day he’s borderline frightening. He’s so snarky and downright caustic. I think it’s his eyes. I think puppy Isaac has crazy eyes. That’s what gives him away.”

Laura is rolled onto her side laughing when Derek pushes up on an elbow to look at them both.

“This was a mistake. I should not have introduced you to my family.”

Stiles panics for the barest of moments.

“Why not?”

Laura recovers enough to roll back towards them and say, “Because you’re going to find out you befriended the least interesting Hale.”

Derek scowls again while Stiles and Laura laugh. Stiles’ anxiety and worry are fast fading away and being replaced with an almost bone deep sense of comfort and belonging. Like he’d been homesick for this place even though he’s never even been here. Once Laura finishes laughing she sits up and tells them Talia said to come help finish with dinner. They all get up, Derek and Stiles trailing behind Laura. Derek looks over to him mildly concerned to ask if he’s still doing okay. Stiles just smiles and tells him to ask again in ten minutes.

Except ten minutes later he’s helping pour the potatoes into a bowl while Alex holds it steady. Laura and Derek are arguing about the proper salad ingredients. The younger siblings Stiles hasn’t met yet, two more boys, are setting the table. And Genevieve is running circles around the kitchen and dining room singing ‘I want to be where the people are” from the Little Mermaid. It’s so busy and full of life and people and Stiles is smiling like a fool. He’s never had this and it’s great to be in the middle of it all.

Eventually they all get sat down at the table and Stiles takes in what will probably be the best meal he’s had that he hasn’t cooked himself since his mom died. He pushes those thoughts away though to keep up in the conversation at the table. He learns all about Derek’s siblings and his parents after they’ve all dished up their plates and started eating. He’s halfway through his first plate when Stiles hears Vieve turn to Talia.

“Mama?”

“Yes dear?”

“If this is family dinner why isn’t Stiles family here too?”

Stiles can only smile as he tells her, “My dad’s at work tonight, Vieve.”

“But what about your mom?”

“I don’t have a mom anymore, Vieve.”

She gets this horrified look on her face and she breathes, “What happened to her?”

“My mom, she-“ How do you say this to a six year old? “She died.”

He stares down at his plate and tries not to look as miserable as he suddenly feels. Growing up an only child he’d never experienced anything like this, a big house full of family and siblings. Being here showed him just what he was missing and once he realized he was comfortable he’s been relishing in the feeling of being home.

The anxiety from earlier creeps back as he hopes he doesn’t start thinking too much about his mom but. It’s like all these little things have been poking at the place in his heart where memories of her sit. Talia’s shirt for one. The hug for another. It’s not that Stiles dad doesn’t ever hug him it’s just- it doesn’t happen often. His mom was the one who doled out the hugs in the household.

And it’s been a long time since anyone has given him a hug. He didn’t even realize he missed it until after Talia had embraced him in welcome. Now to have to talk about her out loud and possibly explain how she died. It threatens to be too much.

But Genevieve looks up at her mom very seriously and says, “Mama can I share you with Stiles? Everybody needs a mama.”

Before Stiles can say anything Talia reaches over and grabs her hand to explain.

“You can’t replace someone’s mama sweetie. But how about we tell Stiles he can come over for hugs and movies and supper anytime he wants? How does that sound?”

She nods her head in approval and looks straight at Stiles.

“Mr. Stiles you need to come over for hugs and supper all the time, ok?”

He doesn’t trust his voice so he gives her what is probably a wobbly smile and nods his agreement. The rest of the table goes back to their conversations. He's pretty grateful for that because everybody gives him a minute to pull his thoughts from his mom and put his feelings back in the box in his head where they belong. He joins back in the conversation after a few moments to ask Laura more questions about what she's studying in school.

When the dishes have been washed by Laura, dried by Stiles and put away by Derek and Tommy, who’s twelve, they all make their way to the family room. It’s chock full of oversized couches with the focal point being a beautiful fireplace with a huge TV above it. Stiles gets squeezed onto a couch between the arm rest and Derek. It’s actually pretty wonderful sitting there with this family watching Tangled.

By the end, Genevieve and Tyler, the youngest boy at age eight, are fading fast. They say goodnight to the room and are herded up the stairs with Andrew. He gets a goodnight hug from Vieve before she goes though and Stiles heart just kind of bursts just a little.

Seriously though, who has defenses against little kid hugs? No one, that’s who.

It’s only after they finish watching The Avengers that Stiles realizes he has to go. He thanks Talia and Andrew for letting him come over and tells the rest how nice it was to meet them before Derek drives him home. His dad had taken the jeep in for new tires and an oil change and Derek hadn’t minded driving him around for the day anyway. They rode in companionable silence for a few minutes before Derek cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry about Genevieve at supper.”

Stiles is sincere when he says, “It’s ok. She didn’t know; none of you knew actually. It just- all caught me off guard.”

“I didn’t- Scott just said you’d had a bad year I didn’t know- I didn’t realize you lost your mom. You don’t have to tell me about it if you don’t want to but just know. I- I’m sorry. That that happened to you I can’t- can’t even imagine what that must have been like. And yeah.”

One thing about his mother’s death he never understood is people saying ‘I’m sorry.’ Like he gets that there really isn’t a whole lot to say at that time but it doesn’t help. It doesn’t make the person saying it feel better and it doesn’t make the person hearing it feel any better. But the way Derek phrased it. He was so awkwardly genuine. And he wasn’t saying he was sorry she died but that Stiles had to experience it. And that, kind of means a lot.

He reaches over and squeezes Derek’s hand where it rested on the center console. Trying not to sound too choked up when he says, “Thank you.”

Stiles lets a few minutes pass before he’s done sniffing and somehow the tension level evaporates. He waits just another minute more before he says with a leer, “So, you have a thing for marksman, brunets or just Hawkeye in general?”

Derek’s blush is a thing of beauty to behold. It really is.

*

After the dinner with the Hales, Stiles and Derek start alternating where they hang out after school. They also start to include some of the others from their lunch group. Stiles gets to know Scott and Isaac one Wednesday when Derek has to teach Scott some concept in Calculus and Stiles helps Isaac through his consumer math homework.

One Tuesday he gets dragged by Erica to the school’s ice rink to ride the Zamboni and mess around with her and Boyd. It’s just like Stiles predicted. Isaac is the little brother and her and Boyd have a relationship for the ages. His calm demeanor tempers her feisty one. They end up debating the merits of DC versus Marvel for two hours before Erica has to go to her volleyball game. She’s already riled up from their argument and Boyd convinces Stiles to stick around for the game.

He makes the right decision by staying because he gets to hang out with Boyd and Isaac as well as Allison and Scott. He’s still putting his impressions together on the group as a whole but he knows he’s right about what he told Laura; Scott is definitely the leader of the group.

He is the one who keeps everyone happy and getting along. From what it looks like he goes to everyone’s sports events like a devoted parent would. Seeing as Stiles doesn’t see anything like that from these kids’ own parents it’s likely he chose to fill that role for everyone in his friend group. Which is just so sickeningly nice Stiles can’t stand it.

By the end of the game he really does feel like a part of the group. He thinks he knows their team’s coach’s entire playbook and could probably write a better one. The only thing saving the team is the talent the players have. Stiles ends up yelling just as much as Scott by the time the match is over.

He’s laughing with Allison when Erica runs out of the locker room and jumps on his back with no warning. He almost topples over but catches himself as she just laughs in his ear and smacks a dry kiss to his cheek.

They end up going for late night pizza and Stiles has never felt more at home than he does with this group of people. With the only exception being the full family Hale dinners.

There is something though that still bugs him. These people all seem to have been pulled from the edges of other social circles to make their own group. Which is awesome that they are all friends now. But Stiles can’t help but think that there’s something that pulled them all together. Some common trait they all have.

He thinks he gets the answer when Allison breaks down when they’re having coffee and tells him the whole story about Isaac and how the group had all been involved in his rescue. There’s no other term for it. These kids _rescued_ Isaac from an abusive home. It fits Stiles’ theory but he can’t help but feel like that isn’t the whole answer.

Then, just when he was getting used to a routine with these people in his life and beginning to understand them all a little better, in walks Lydia Martin.

No, really. She just walks right up to him after school one day when he’s not talking to anyone from their group and demands his attention.

“So you have better grades than me.”

He closes his locker gingerly trying to assess the situation because Lydia Martin is terrifying on a good day. He's trying to decide if he needs to run for help or if she’s just going to talk or something else vaguely threatening.

“I do?” he says carefully.

She just rolls her eyes.

“Calm down, you do. I checked. I’m not struggling with physics but there’s an extra project that you and Derek didn’t sign up for.”

Stiles nods because they didn’t. Derek didn’t want to and Stiles didn’t need the help with his grade.

“You’re going to do it with me. Then we can use the research paper on our résumés and look better when we apply to college.”

Well, that actually sounds like a pretty good thing as far as Stiles can tell. And it makes sense if he really is at the top of the class why she’d want to work with him.

“Ok, so when do we start?”

They start right then. He learns pretty quickly that Lydia is indeed smarter than him. It’s not really surprising. She tells him all about her plans to win a Field’s Medal in Mathematics since it’s not something she can win a Nobel Prize for. She talks about Jackson, her boyfriend, and Danny, his best friend, an awful lot. She drops what he knows she believes to be subtle hints in the conversation that he ignores. Right up until they’re finishing up their pre lab and she just comes out and says it.

“Nobody cares.”

He just looks at her in question to make her say it.

“You’re little outfit for picture day? Nobody here cares what that implies.”

“Well, that’s probably good since it’s none of their business if I’m bisexual or not.”

She rolls her eyes at him and he knows that that is going to be a regular occurrence.

“No, you dork. I just mean for a small town, blind hatred in the name of homophobia is not prevalent. When you have elected officials of any sexuality not heterosexual the community at large gets a good education in sexualities, genders and preferences. Ignorance couldn’t be used as a crutch and anyone dumb enough to voice their stupid opinions were silenced by the masses.”

“Oh that’s-“

“I just mean that you should feel comfortable being yourself. And you shouldn’t have to worry about bullies in Beacon Hills. Outside of me. I will harass you about your grades until I am valedictorian once again. “

And that is about as caring as he’s ever going to get from Lydia he thinks. He appreciates it though and tells her so as they leave the library and walk to their cars. It makes him wonder what would happen if she knew about the set of bruises on his wrists from where Matt had pinned him against the wall two days ago to call him a fag and tell him he’s worthless. He wonders if she’d be so confident in the lack of homophobia in Beacon Hills.

*

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: I just went through and edited this a little. Nothing has changed story-wise but I think it's a little smoother in the beginning of the chapter now :)


	2. Holidaze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did you know the holiday season in Beacon Hills is actually four months long?  
> Yeah, Stiles didn't either.

The further into school they all get the closer the holiday season looms. Stiles' family never really was big on holidays. At least they haven’t been, not for the last few years. But whether it's the smaller town and smaller school or it’s a testament to the strength of this group of friends, the fact of the matter is these people _love_ the holidays.

The coffee shop has pumpkin flavored drinks before Starbucks even does. The bakery Stiles frequents on his way to the station has the most delicious pumpkin muffins and apple spice scones Stiles has ever had. He can get away with wearing sweaters and his beanie easier now that it's chilly by everyone else's standards.

Halloween is where it starts. What Stiles doesn't know is this holiday mindset will last for months.

It’s the week before Halloween when Erica throws an arm around him after their government class and keeps him from leaving to go to gym class.

“You’re coming to the Hale party right? What are you going to dress up as?”

Stiles has been working for Mrs. Dahl over the last few lunch periods and must have missed hearing about this because he knows exactly nothing about a party.

“I didn’t know it was happening, but I guess I’ll be there. Everybody’s going? I have no costume.”

“Everybody will be there, yes.” She says with an eye roll. “We have our own alternative party since pretty much the entire class will be at the Lydia/Jackson party.”

The warning bell goes off and he hasn’t even changed for class. He shrugs out from under her arm to run to class.

“We’re not done talking about this I just can’t be late!” He yells back at her as he runs down the hall.

After class she’s waiting at his locker to fill him in on what the plan is. Everybody is going to the Hale’s to have their annual Halloween party. Costumes are mandatory. Shenanigans are planned so no trouble or tricks happen. The next day at lunch he asks them why they avoid Lydia’s party. He gets some eye rolls but Scott has pity on him and thinks he explains when he says, “They always have alcohol at their parties. And it’s, like, mandatory to drink if you’re there.”

Stiles is mildly confused.

“Not to cater to the generalization that all teenagers drink underage but I know why I’m not allowed. That sheriff’s cruiser in my driveway is evidence enough. But why-“

He trails off hoping someone picks up the question he’s asking.

They pretty much all give him some sign of exasperation or indifference and go around the table giving their reasons.

“My mom would ground me from Allison and my music if I ever even took a drink. Alcoholic absent father and all.”

“I would be sent to live with my grandpa. He’s insane.”

“I can't get my foster parents in trouble, and I’ve never wanted to or had the opportunity to do so.”

“I don't care.”

“Alcohol and epilepsy meds don't mix.”

“You've met my mother.”

Stiles can just nod along in understanding because, well, that all makes perfect sense.

It’s no surprise then that he’s driving out to the Hale place after school on Halloween. This year the holiday fell on a Friday, making it really easy for everyone. Between the little kids going trick or treating, high school costume parties and college students drinking Beacon Hills is already practically buzzing with activity. Stiles had wanted to make treats or something to help Talia with the food but she told him that she had it handled. So all he has with him in his bag is his costume and a whole lot of excitement.

It’s been two months with these people, Stiles has realized, but he still feels like he’s on the outside looking in. It’s like he’s Spiderman and they’re all the Avengers. He’s with the group but he’s not _in_ the group. Stiles would like to hope that the invitation to this party is maybe proof he’s not an outsider? He is still kind of unsure about it all but as he turns onto their long driveway he just allows himself to be excited to be included at this point.

He knows it’s probably stupid but he just doesn’t know where he stands and that doubt festers and grows no matter what he does.

At lunch today, Derek explained that this party is an actual we-have-activities-planned type of party. He doesn’t really know what that means exactly, but he’s willing to just go along blindly. He figures it’s probably Talia’s way to keep all the adolescents and children in her house a little organized.

When Stiles gets there, everybody but Scott, Allison and Derek are already in the house swarming around each other getting things ready. Scott and Allison are perpetually late so it’s not all that odd, but since it’s Derek’s house, Stiles asks where he’s at? Talia mentions that he’s out for a run which doesn’t make sense since Cora had said he was sick and that’s why he missed school for the day. Stiles shakes it off, determined not to worry about anything and just enjoy being with his friends.

Boyd is kind of Stiles' favorite some days. While most of the people in their group will try and get Stiles to participate in conversations, Boyd never tries to get him to talk. He still talks to Stiles but will never push for more than Stiles is willing to give. Stiles kind of likes that a lot.

Right now Boyd is his favorite because when Erica tries to pull Stiles into the middle of the bustling group, Boyd gives him an out. Stiles looks up from where Erica is pulling him, searching frantically for a way to avoid this when he spots Boyd by the door. A head nod later and Stiles is pulling out of Erica’s grip tossing, “I’m going to help Boyd,” over his shoulder as he walks outside with him.

He thanks him as they walk towards the woods. While the Hales live in the middle of the woods their house sits in a pretty good sized clearing of trees. Behind the garage just beyond the edge of the tree-line is a stack of wood for bonfires and the fireplace in the winter. Tonight they’re having a bonfire in the yard.

Stiles just stands with his arms outstretched while Boyd lays the wood across them. He gets four pieces to carry and Boyd turns and grabs eight like it’s nothing. Stiles is grumbling about unfair height and strength advantages when Derek is suddenly there in front of them, flushed and panting. He focuses solely on Stiles with this intense look Stiles has never seen before.

“What are you doing in the woods? You shouldn’t be out here.”

“Uh…we're just getting firewood?”

He looks at the firewood in his arms and then looks at Boyd confused. But Boyd is staring at Derek looking mildly concerned. Well, given his face is showing emotion he is probably properly concerned about Derek. Stiles can’t help but mirror the sentiment. Derek looks _wrecked_. He’s pale and shaky and hasn’t looked away from Stiles.

“Derek, are you ok?” Boyd asks and Derek jerks at the sound of his voice like he truly just realized Boyd was standing there too. Derek just shakes his head and now he just looks lost.

“Dude, go talk to your mom, you don’t look well.”

Stiles nods his agreement and Derek shakes himself once more before turning on his heel and is very nearly sprinting across the lawn. Stiles looks back to Boyd hoping his look is conveying just how confused he is right now. But Boyd’s already walking again. It’s not until they’ve stacked the firewood by the pit for later and are walking back for more that he says anything at all.

“Did you know that Derek doesn’t trust new people in his life?”

That’s a bit of non sequitur so Stiles lets him go wherever that’s supposed to lead.

“We used to be best friends. He started keeping secrets and it pissed me off because he should’ve trusted me right? Then something happened to him and he closed off completely. He spent an entire summer away from us all, away from _me_. He went off with Laura for nearly three whole months. When he came back he was different. We were still friends but we’d lost something.”

Stiles is feeling conflicted and even more confused. He feels like a friend stealer because he thinks he has Derek’s trust and an easy camaraderie that’s been there from nearly the very beginning. But Boyd isn’t done.

“He wouldn’t let anybody in anymore. He was there but he wasn’t at the same time. Then you walk in and he’s like he used to be, almost. You’re starting to give us all the real Derek back.”

This makes no sense; he doesn’t understand where this is going.

“What does that have to do with-“

“He was worried, about you. And you seemed surprised by the fact. Derek only worries or gets worked up about people he cares about. Sometimes it feels like you still doubt whether you really are friends with us. You shouldn’t doubt. Not when you have Derek, the least trusting, most wary of new people person of the group, nervous for you.”

Some days Boyd is his favorite because some days Boyd knows just what to say.

The mess with Daehler lately has been different. He still gets names jeered at him when he’s shouldered into walls and lockers and on one memorable occasion Danny; typical, unimaginative, but effective things like, fairy, queer, twink or fag. He can deal with name calling. Eventually, yes, it wears him down and makes him feel like shit for being himself. Honestly, it’s simple but effective as far as bullying methods go.

But what Matt noticed got a reaction were things that are a bit more personal. He started finding notes in his books or getting pinned to the wall with a hand firmly not on his chest but not quite on his neck. A suffocating pressure on his collarbone while Matt croons sickly sweet.

“You’re just a part of a group of losers.”

“They don’t actually care if you’re there or not. Not a damn thing would change if you just disappeared.”

“Why do they even keep you around? You don’t even say anything.”

“You’re so stupid. I bet you just copy their homework and cheat off their tests to make it look like you’re smart.”

“I bet you’re the bitch of the group. Just get down on your knees and beg for it.”

“You know they don’t actually like you.”

Like he said, Stiles can deal with name calling. The taunts that hit home on his most sincere insecurities take a bit more effort to shake off. Most of it he knows isn’t true. He doesn’t get on his knees or cheat obviously but the rest... He’s never had people want to spend time with him. He doesn’t know the difference between genuine friendship and polite tolerance.

Somehow Boyd managed to distract Stiles from how awfully sick Derek looked with his convoluted explanation. But the best part is Stiles doesn’t doubt Boyd. He uses words so infrequently he just can’t imagine him lying when he does.

By the time they have the firewood stacked neatly, everybody is spilling out of the house into the yard. Well, everybody but Derek and Talia. Stiles decides to put his costume on so he meanders back around to the front of the house and grabs his messenger bag out of the Jeep and goes back inside the house.

He uses the first floor bathroom and puts on the actual Superman shirt he has, the skin tight kind. He gels his hair down and puts on his glasses. He realized when he planned this outfit that probably nobody knows he even has glasses. He thinks they’re cool, kind of nerdy but they’re comfy when he’s sick or extra tired and doesn’t want to put his contacts in.

By the time he emerges looking something like Clark Kent the house is quiet. He goes through the kitchen doors out to the backyard again and sees everybody standing in a group by the fire pit. He walks over and Derek still isn’t out here with everybody. Talia is though and she waves Stiles over. He jogs over to hear what she’s going to say. As soon as he joins the group everybody stops talking.

“Alright, first thing tonight is I need apples. If you guys want to bob for apples we can do that, but I also just need a dozen or so to make the apple crisp for later tonight.”

Do the Hales even have an apple tree? He’s confused right up until he follows the group just past the tree line on the opposite side of the yard from the firewood and sees multiple trees with fruit hanging from their branches. Everybody descends on the smaller tree with the big apples. Stiles wanders away a little and finds a bigger tree with smaller apples he knows will be more tart and sour than sweet. He grabs a few from the low hanging branches and then Erica is just there and he _doesn’t_ jump.

“You are way too sneaky for your own good, Catwoman.”

She just laughs at him and starts picking the fruit next to him. They work in silence for a few minutes and end up climbing up into the lower branches of the tree. After they’ve got his bag full of apples she turns to him while he leans against the trunk of the tree trying to think about what Boyd said.

“You’re awfully pensive over there Clark, what’s going on in that brain of yours?”

“Just thinking about something Boyd was talking about.”

That and what’s up with Derek. He looked _awful_.

“What’s that?” She asks.

“He just was talking about how I’m a part of your group already.”

“Why is that confusing?”

He shrugs not really wanting to explain that he hasn’t had friends since before middle school. How he’d been bullied and rejected at his old school. He settles with the barest part of the truth.

“I’ve never had this before. I have nothing to compare this to.”

She gets this look that‘s not quite pity just sad understanding like she understands exactly what he’s not saying.

“Well, you have us now.”

He shrugs again, still uncertain of what that even means.

She groans in frustration though, “You don’t believe me.” It’s not a question. “No really, you should. It’s like- it’s like we’re the Avengers. You’re our Coulson.”

“Great, I die in this metaphor.”

“Shut up and listen,” she snaps. “You’re our Coulson. Boyd and Derek used to be best friends. Freshman year Derek started dating this older girl but didn’t tell anybody. The only reason I know is because I saw them once and kept my mouth shut. Something happened. Whatever it was really messed him up because he just fucking shut down and disappeared for the summer.

He came back better, but so distant it was like he wasn’t there half the time which was just really sucky. He and Scott would argue and bicker. Nobody trusted Allison when she moved here. We were all drawn together but we didn’t really like each other. We didn’t like it.

We kept getting brought together by stuff, like saving Isaac. But it was like fighting tooth and nail to make any progress in how we treated each other. And then- _then_.”

He looks up at her emphasis and this stunning smile is spreading across her countenance.

“You show up. You fumble your way into Calc and Scott saves you from Jackson and drags you to lunch with us. It’s history from there.”

She throws her hands up like it’s obvious but continues at whatever his face is doing.

“You understood Isaac, you’re quiet when it counts and loud when it matters. You stomach the Scott and Allison brand of romance. You included Cora and made Derek _smile_. You fit with us and make us better.”

“Coulson isn’t an Avenger though.”

She groans and tosses an apple that hits him square in the chest.

“Fine. No Avenger’s metaphors. Let’s try fire, then. When we met we were an uncontrolled fire. We burned bright and fast and harsh. Then we settled into just being smoldering embers. We existed together but the littlest thing could set us off and we would burn each other again. But you were a good kind of spark. You came in and sparked us up and now we're like a damn campfire we’re so composed and contained. And this metaphor sucks too so just believe me when I say you’re our friend and we all like it.”

“Fine, point conceded. I won’t argue anymore,” he says with a smile he can’t even begin to try and hide. They finish filling Erica's bucket and crawl out of the tree.

After everybody combines what they’ve picked into one big pile for Talia most everyone goes inside to change into their costumes. Stiles is already done with that and so is Isaac. Stiles walks around to the front of the house to dump his messenger bag and school clothes back into the Jeep. By the time he makes it to the back yard again Isaac has a fire starting and is sitting next to it in a chair poking at it with a stick.

Isaac snorts when Stiles flops down into a chair next to him all loose limbed and sprawled out and comfortable. Isaac is quiet sometimes too. Mostly uncomfortable silence with Stiles but once Erica comes around it’s like he gets sparked into life and action and becomes the embodiment of sass and bravado. So Stiles waits for a few minutes to see if Isaac wants to direct the conversation.

His patience is rewarded with a questioning look and Isaac somewhat blurting out, “You have a hidden personality just like Superman. I mean, your costume is fitting in that way really.”

“Meaning?” Stiles prompts because he knows where this could be going but, again, wants Isaac to say what he wants to and not let Stiles steer the conversation.

“Look at yourself.”

Stiles does. He’s all tucked into the chair with his arms wrapped around his folded legs and his chin resting on his knees. Basically, the polar opposite of how he sat down mere minutes ago.

“You’re all pulled into yourself whereas when you flailed yourself over here you were all open and smiling and loose. You do that sometimes.”

What is this reflect on Stiles day?

“It’s like we get glimpses of this other Stiles. You have days or hours where you get all giddy and happy and you’re an _asshole_. It happens so rarely I can’t tell if this closed off, quiet Stiles is the real one or if the loud mouthed, talkative, fidgety Stiles is. And what I really don’t know is if that’s true, if the real Stiles is this sarcastic, asshole, likeable asshole mind you, but if that’s really you then why do you hide it? What makes it easier to be closed off than to be yourself?”

Stiles opens his mouth to say something and ends up gaping like a fish. Isaac gives him this smile like he wasn’t really expecting or wanting an answer but instead just needed to get that little observation off his chest. It’s like they all knew that Matt had him doubting so much in himself that they needed to make him understand that they see him. More than he acknowledges, apparently. He steels himself as he watches the flames flicker for another minute before he answers Isaac’s curiosity.

“I think it’s a combination of two things. It’s still- my mom,” his voice cracks no matter how hard he tried to keep it from doing so. He clears his throat to continue. “And bullies.” He shrugs. “It gets old getting teased or blatantly ignored for just being yourself. I thought if I kept the rambling and flailing to a minimum I at least wouldn’t get shunned for being a weirdo. I never imagined getting sucked in to a group of people like you guys though.”

He finds Isaac looking at him with an air of recognition on his face. Like Stiles’ answer fit into whatever other conclusions he was making about Stiles. It doesn’t last long before he’s shaking his head at Stiles and turning to stare at the flames.

“There’s enough quiet people in our group. We could use with some babbling.”

Stiles is about to protest, he does not _babble._ But before he can Stiles hears Scott yelling from the back door.

“Come inside losers we’re carving pumpkins!”

Isaac snickers and they leave the bonfire for later. Isaac seems like he’d been wanting to get that off his chest and feels better having done so. Stiles is still trying to figure out how his friends, they _are_ his friends, how they all are seeming to know it’s been a rough couple weeks with Matt making him feel like shit. And just how much Stiles is reveling in their observations of him. That they like him enough to actually make observations and have concerns is still as baffling as it is oddly touching.

Stiles only realizes how cold he is once he gets inside the warm kitchen. The table is full of pumpkins, carving sets, knives, newpaper and a couple buckets for the pumpkin guts. Stiles hasn’t carved a pumpkin in 3 years but he knows exactly what he’s going to carve. They haven’t started yet; everybody is standing around waiting for them all to be in the kitchen.

Everyone is in costume now. Erica is a stunning Catwoman. Boyd makes her imposing and impressive Batman counterpart. That couple costume is scarily fitting for those two.

Scott has brown pants and a tan t-shirt on and Stiles doesn’t understand until he turns around. There’s a flower crown headband in his hair that has little antlers attached to it. And then someone, more than likely Allison, has colored his nose and his upper lip is darker than the lower one and he’s got ‘spots’ on his cheek bones. He makes an adorable deer and Stiles is going to give him so much crap. Except Allison chooses to walk in then with a bright orange hunting vest over a plaid shirt with jeans and boots and a fake rifle and it’s actually too cute to mock.

Derek’s sitting at the table looking way better than when he ran up in the woods. He’s lost that pallor look to his skin and he’s calmly talking with Boyd instead of being worked up and anxious.

Stiles feels some tension in his back he didn’t realize he was holding release and he nearly sighs in relief. He’s not one for worrying about other people but something about Derek. It’s like Stiles can’t even help but worry about him when he misses school or looks so worn down. It’s like Derek is his best friend or something.

Derek has a red and black plaid flannel shirt on tucked in to his black jeans. He’s clean shaven now and he really does look just like the Brawny man.  Cora is Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz with the blue gingham dress, pigtails, ruby slippers and freckles on her cheeks. Talia is flitting around the kitchen putting final touches on the food for after the pumpkins are carved. She’s dressed as Morticia Addams and Stiles bets that Andrew is Gomez wherever he’s at with the mini-Hales trick or treating in town.

Talia stops cooking long enough to clear her throat and get everybody’s attention.

“All right. One pumpkin each. There are knives and carving kits and buckets for the goop. Try and separate some seeds into this bowl here and we’ll roast them later. Do not cut yourselves. Have at it guys.”

They all settle in. Cora, Isaac and Allison sit at the table and the rest of them sit on the floor. Stiles sits himself in a corner of the room so no one can peek at his pumpkin until he’s all done. He’s got a classic round pumpkin, Derek has a tall skinny one, Boyd’s is little and spherical while Scott’s is short and round and looks like someone squashed it.

They all set to work and Stiles grabs a knife, spoon and carving set. He knows his is going to be intricate and that it’s going to take a while so he gets started right away. Derek tries to look at his phone while he looks up a picture of what he’s planning.

“No peeking!”

Derek raises his hands in surrender and leans back to his own pumpkin laughing at him. Then the room divides into two or three different conversations. The table is having one and the boys on the floor another. Stiles has the top cut out of his first and is the first one to dump his seeds into the pail and pass it on. By the time he’s got the guts out of the pumpkin the rest of them have their tops cut off and are pulling and separating seeds.

He’s pretty good at free-handing things but for this he decides to trace at least the beginning of the design. He has to get up and find a mechanical pencil before he can start. The conversation ebbs and flows around him. He can’t help but think of Isaac’s comments and lets himself talk more than he normally would.

It’s not long before he gets caught up in carving though. The smaller details require more attention than a simple jack-o-lantern. He doesn’t realize how far he’s gotten going around the pumpkin until he hears Scott as him what he’s carving. Before he can even get a word in Derek beats him to the scolding.

“If you’d actually watch and _finish_ the Lord of the Rings you’d know Scott.”

Stiles gapes at Scott who merely groans.

“You haven’t seen _any_ of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? What about the Hobbit?”

Scott just scrunches his nose, in _derision_ of all things.

“I’ve see bits and pieces. It’s just so boring, all they do is _walk_.”

“Bits and- shit.“

He’d stopped paying attention to what he was doing and hit his hand with the little carving tool. Luckily, he didn’t cut himself. Derek leans over in concern but Stiles waves him off.

“I’m fine. Seriously Scott I don’t know if we can be friends. You are going to have to watch it.”

“He is right about the walking part. I mean, the Fellowship is kinda anticlimactic.”

“Agreed.” He turns from Derek back to Scott. “We’ll have pity on you and you can start watching from the Two Towers. Extended edition though.”

“Are the extended editions really worth it?” Isaac asks tentatively.

That sends Stiles into a rant about the differences and all the bonus features and how it’s worth it for the extra content. He catches himself rambling after he’s already turned back to his carving and as he finishes he realizes that Isaac, Cora and Derek had all joined in at some point to make it a discussion instead of a rant and this is totally what Isaac was talking about.

They all take their pumpkins out to the front porch and light candles inside. Stiles gets some pictures but soon enough Talia is calling them back in to the kitchen. As they clean up the mess of pumpkins Talia lays out supper. Allison and Cora set the table and Stiles starts rinsing the pumpkin seeds.

Supper is loud and surprisingly quick. It seems like no time at all and they’re all bounding outside to the bonfire for marshmallows and s’mores. Stiles hesitates by the door though. It’s even colder now and he doesn’t have another jacket to wear. He just doesn’t hold heat well. He’s like a cat.

Derek comes jogging back to the house and comes inside where Stiles is stalling.

“What’s up? Why aren’t you coming outside?”

Stiles shakes his head a little.

“Just getting as warm as possible before I go out. I get cold really easily.”

Derek’s countenance immediately opens in concern.

“Do you want to borrow a sweatshirt?”

He grabs Stiles by the elbow and turns him towards the staircase.

“Come on. You can borrow one of mine.”

Stiles goes where he’s directed. The inner teenager in him is excited at the idea of wearing something of Derek’s. It’s probably going to smell like him.

Oh _man,_ he is so gone on this guy sometimes. He's in trouble.

He shakes his head at himself and follows Derek. It makes Stiles feel a little better when Derek gets this stupid proud look on his face once Stiles has pulled the sweatshirt on. Like Derek’s feeling the same thing which is just ridiculous. Stiles fiddles with the sleeves a little.

“Thanks. This should be perfect. Where were you today, dude? And earlier? In the woods? You looked like shit. Are you ok?”

Derek isn’t as exaggeratedly expressive as Stiles is taken to be sometimes. But he still wears his emotions clearly on his face and Stiles watches as something shutters closed in Derek’s eyes and his body language screams closed off when he answers “I’ll be fine,” and walks Stiles right back outside.

He lets it go because obviously Derek doesn’t want to explain. He lets himself enjoy the bonfire. He realizes he’s shivering when Derek comes back from the house with more marshmallows and a blanket for Stiles. They all have too many s’mores and stay out there late into the evening.

When they douse the fire and head inside Andrew is back with the younger Hales. The kids are all in pajamas and everybody settles in the living room to watch a movie. Derek tries to get Stiles to sit right in front of the fireplace to warm up but Stiles refuses because then he wouldn’t be able to watch Hocus Pocus.

Instead he ends up pressed between the armrest of the couch with Derek on one side and Genevieve on his lap with a blanket and he’s warm soon enough. He nearly drifts off before the movie can finish and is finally roused when Andrew takes a sleeping Genevieve and the blanket off his chest. Everybody mumbles sleepy thanks to Talia and Andrew and then they all leave for the evening.

He doesn’t realize until he gets home that he’s still wearing Derek’s sweatshirt. He pulls out his phone to text him.

**sorry I still have your sweatshirt. i’ll bring it back monday? <<**

**That’s fine, Stiles. Have any fun tonight? >>**

**you’re kidding right? <<**

**best halloween of my life dude. <<**

He doesn’t even stay awake long enough to see Derek’s response and falls asleep right there still wearing the sweatshirt.

*

Halloween did wonders to make Stiles feel better. Aside from getting ridiculously cold that is. He just can’t seem to put on any weight lately and he’s rather cold all the time because of it. He doesn’t find it too important, because the words from Boyd, Erica and Isaac stay fresh in his mind for the entire weekend. Even in school when Matt tries to bring him down it doesn’t work. The problem is that when he notices that his previously useful techniques no longer work he goes back to just insulting Stiles directly.

By Thursday he’s tired of the near constant abuse. It’s like as soon as Stiles is away from anyone in the halls Matt is there with a snide remark or shoving him around. Gym class is sucky. They’re playing basketball and Matt is guarding Stiles. Stiles is not particularly good at basketball on a good day and Matt uses that to his advantage. He plays just on the edge of too rough and Stiles hits the floor. A lot.

By the end he’s pretty sure his ankle is sprained. He’d been reluctant to tell anyone about all this, mainly because he thought it would go away. And if it didn’t he’d just deal. But this is bordering on physical abuse and he’s not going to be able to hide a sprained ankle from his dad. Nor does he want to.

He skips out on studying with anyone for the day and drives over to the station. He walks in and greets the deputy at the front desk. He’s gotten to know almost all the people that work for his dad. Some days he feels like a mascot for the place and it’s actually pretty fun. He stops at Parrish’s desk and moves a piece on the chess board for his turn.

After the cookie day debacle Parrish had apologized profusely. He’d even included curly fries with the apology and really how could Stiles turn that down? Parrish had not wanted to indulge in the water cooler gossip about the new sheriff. So he didn’t actually know about the fact that Claudia had died. He had sworn that he isn’t that much of an asshole any other time. He really was just teasing.

Stiles had pretty much gotten over it anyway and accepted the apology and the fries. Since then whenever he goes in to see his dad he always will stop and chat with the guy. They started this chess game like two months ago. But Parrish will only ever make a move when Stiles does and leaves it alone in the interim. Stiles has been so busy with his new group of friends it has kept the game going for a long time now.

Parrish isn’t actually at his desk so Stiles meanders back to his dad’s office. The door is shut but the shades are open and there’s no one in there so Stiles just walks in. His dad looks up from whatever he’s typing up at his computer when the door opens.

“Hey kid, what’s up?”

“Hey dad.”

He flops down in the chair in front of the desk. He doesn’t know how to explain this. He scrubs a hand down his face and sighs but that just gets his dad more concerned.

“Hey, you ok?”

He nods.

“I’m fine. Kind of.” He finally looks at his dad, unable to ignore the concerned gaze any longer.

“Um. So you remember that conversation we had about how I’m not just about girls? And then I went to that bar and came home dressed a bit differently?”

“You mean that time you snuck into a bar while underage, in more ways than one, and befriended the drag queen population? Yes. Yes, I remember that vividly son.”

“Ok well I may have dressed like that as a joke for the school pictures and made myself a target for the local homophobic bully.”

His father’s face darkens and the frown he’d been sporting deepens as he leans forward, forearms resting on the desk.

“You’re being bullied Stiles? Since picture day? It’s been _weeks._ Why haven’t you said anything?”

“I- I thought he’d stop, dad. Or that I could handle it until it went away.”

His dad sighs and leans back in his chair again.

“So what happened that you’re finally willing to talk about it?”

He shrugs because he’s still uncomfortable with this whole conversation.

“It’s getting worse. He realized his words only do so much and he’s getting physical. I- I think I sprained my ankle from him being stupid in gym today.”

His dad looks murderous as he stalks around the desk and kneels down to look at his ankle. Stiles winces when he twists it just so. It’s not a bad sprain. Just enough to hurt like a mother. His dad stays mad for about thirty more seconds before he falls back into resigned.

“You’re not going to tell anybody about this are you, kid?”

“I told _you_. If it gets worse I will tell you again and I will consider letting you do something about it.”

John sighs, “I can’t decide if I’m a terrible parent for agreeing with you on that or a good one.”

“You’re awesome.” Stiles says with feeling. “For real though dad, I won’t put up with the bullshit any more than I have to. But until I can get a teacher to witness it at least once, it’s all hearsay. Plus, Finstock, the gym teacher, I’m pretty sure he noticed and he might be crazy but I don’t think he’d let me get seriously injured in his class.”

His dad stands up and shakes his head as he walks back to sink into his chair.

“Fine, fine. You going home?”

“I was going to go hang out with Derek for a little bit at the Hale’s. That ok?”

“Fine, yeah. Just don’t go running around the woods ok?”

“Yeah, sure. Another animal attack or something?”

“Yeah.” He sighs sounding tired all of a sudden. “There were more animal attacks but it definitely became my jurisdiction because a homeless woman was killed and found with similar wounds.”

“Creepy. I will stay out of the woods,” he assures his dad as he stands to leave.

“Thanks. And as for the bully. Let him throw the first punch. You throw the last.”

Stiles stops with his hand on the doorframe and smiles back at his dad.

“You bet your ass I will.”

“Language,” he laughs. “Love you, Stiles.”

“Love you too, dad. See you tonight.”

He already feels better but hanging out at the Hale’s promises to make him feel even better. He never asked but he is going to just assume that the open invitation that Talia offered still stands.

He drives slowly through town; he’s in no hurry but he still finds himself parked in front of the Hale’s garage in no time at all. There aren’t any other cars around though. Derek hadn’t said anything about them being gone so he figures he’ll hang around and wait for someone to come home.

The house is locked but Ben, the family Saint Bernard, is out and about and comes over to Stiles. He whuffles softly and licks at Stiles fingers lightly.

“Hey, buddy,” he greets as he digs his fingers into the soft fur behind the dog’s ears. “It’s just you and me.”

All things considered it’s actually kind of nice albeit a bit weird to be here by himself. He resigns himself to a bit of awkwardness and decides if he’s going to be here he might as well make himself useful. The giant tub of apples is still sitting outside the kitchen door and it gives him an idea. Stiles goes back to the Jeep, dumps his gym clothes out of his duffle bag and takes the empty bag with him. Ben follows him the whole time and is right at his heels as he makes his way over to the apple trees.

He realizes as he hefts himself up the tree that he is, in fact, in the woods. But- he’s only, like, three trees in and he’s got Ben. Ben will protect him. Plus, he’s up a tree. That should count for something right? He crawls up a little higher and Ben circles three times and lays down at the base of the tree.

Stiles just thinks about finding apples, filling the bag and not falling out of the tree. It’s mildly relaxing actually. He stops picking once the bag gets to a point where he will probably have to drag it across the lawn instead of carrying it. He’s not ready to come down out of the tree yet though. The solitude is both comforting and calming.

He doesn’t notice Ben sit up in his spot of guarding Stiles . He also doesn’t hear cars pull in to the clearing or car doors closing. He’s lost in his own little world until he hears Talia call out his name.

She’s still by the house though so he just sighs and contemplates getting out of the tree. He’s so tired and he really doesn’t want to come down yet. Ben barks; just the once.

Stiles can hear the kitchen door open and shut and then he hears Talia call his name again. Ben barks gently again. He listens to her footsteps come closer and closer before she’s at the base of the tree.

“Stiles, sweetie? What are you doing?”

He sighs and starts his decent. He debates with himself if he’ll tell the real truth. That he needs a hug and a mom and he _misses_ his mom because she’d know just what to do to make him feel better. He keeps crawling down the tree, scraping his hands absently, just not paying attention. He jumps from the lower branches and lands before he remembers his ankle.

“MOTHER Hubbard. Ow.”

Talia laughs lightly and shoulders the duffle bag of apples like its nothing and helps him stand up straight.

“Are you okay, Stiles?”

Her concern is genuine. He can just tell her. He told his dad after all didn’t he?

“Not really no,” he breathes.

She nods like she’d guessed as much and directs him to walk back towards the house.

“Anything I can do to help?”

“Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know. I just-“ You told your dad, you can say the words again. “I’m dealing with a bully at school and I wish my mom was around to tell me what to do.”

Talia hums and doesn’t say anything for a moment; for a moment they’re just walking.

“Have you told anyone about this bully?”

“Just my dad. And you. I don’t- Nobody really needs to know. I mean, he’ll probably stop sooner or later.”

He hopes that makes it clear he doesn’t want Derek to know. Because if Derek knows then Scott will know and then everyone will know and that’s a bit too embarrassing to deal with.

“Well, I won’t pretend to know what your mother would say. But seeing as Andrew and I have pretty much made you an honorary Hale I will tell you what I’d tell any of my own kids.”

They’re at the house and she dumps the apples from the bag into the pile of other fruit from the party. Ben is still at his side when Talia turns back to him with a tender expression.

“You are an intelligent, strong, _kind_ young man who has everything to be proud of in himself and has no reason to doubt his worth to his father and the people around him. That boy is blind if he thinks you’re anything less than wonderful, Stiles. Believe me on that.”

He doesn’t even hesitate when she pulls him into a hug. It goes past the normal length of hugs for acquaintances and Stiles still doesn’t want to pull back. Talia raises her head from where she’d rested it against his but doesn’t loosen her hold on him. She turns to look at the small mountain of fruit.

“Now, what are we going to do with all these apples?”

“You mean you never pick these normally?”

“No, not really. I don’t have the time and none of the kids cook really well so nobody would do anything if we did pick them. Seems a waste to throw them now though. Any ideas?”

Stiles considers it for a moment.

“You have a Kitchen Aide mixer with attachments and a dehydrator?”

“We can sure look.”

And that’s how he ends up making homemade applesauce in the Hale kitchen all afternoon. They’re steadily working through the apples. First they separated the sour from the sweet. The sweet ones they’re going to just peel and slice and freeze for baking later. The sour all get cooked until their soft, run through the processor and made into applesauce.

Working with just Talia it’s slow going. But by 4:30 Cora is home and she pulls up a chair and a paring knife and jumps right in to help.

It’s 5:30 when Stiles hears another car pull in that has to be Derek. Sure enough a minute later he hears Derek’s voice carry through the house calling out for Talia.

“Mom, I’m going to Stiles’ after I shower. Something was up with him today-“ he walks in to the room and sees Stiles, “and he's in the kitchen.”

Stiles snorts.

“Yeah I am. Did you miss the big blue jeep out there dude?”

“Apparently. Why are you in my kitchen? And what are you making?”

“Applesauce, dude!” he says with a smile.

He really is feeling much better now. Something about the work and Talia’s words settling something in him. His ankle still hurts like a bitch though. He’s been favoring it while he works around the kitchen. So it takes Derek all of three seconds to notice the limp even though Cora’s ignored it for the last half hour.

“You’re limping. Did Matt actually hurt you today? He’s such an ass, I don’t know why he was being like that.”

Stiles is glad he’s not facing Derek because he doesn’t know what kind of expression he’s making and how much he’d give away. After Stiles just shrugs and limps over to get another bowl for more apple mush Derek stops him.

“Stop, stop. Did you have anybody look at that? Of course you didn’t sit down.”

He manhandles Stiles into a chair and props the injured foot onto a second chair. He gingerly rolls up Stiles jeans and peels off Stiles sock. Ok, so it’s not pretty. The whole left side is bruised and swollen fairly significantly.

“Jesus.” Derek breathes. “Sit there don’t move until I get back,” he orders before he’s all but stomping from the room.

“Bit bossy isn’t he?” he grins at Cora.

“He doesn’t like when people get hurt.”

She shrugs seemingly used to this kind of behavior from her brother. It feels like less than a minute and Derek is back with an ace bandage, pre wrap and athletic tape. He holds them in opposite hands.

“Which one?”

Stiles points to the pre wrap and tape hand. It always feels better than just an ace wrap. Derek carefully wraps the foamy wrap around his foot, his ankle and up his calf a ways. Stiles just starts ripping strips of tape. This is not his first sprained ankle. Nor will it be his last he suspects. Derek knows what he’s doing too as he tapes the ankle fast and it already feels better by the time he’s half done. It takes some time and Stiles’ apples are done cooking when Derek finishes. He goes to stand up but Derek keeps a firm hand on his shoulder.

“Just tell me what to do.”

Stiles shakes his head and stands.

“It’s a sprained ankle not a broken leg, Derek. Go take a shower then you can make sure I stay in the chair for a while. Fair?”

Derek grunts his agreement and runs up the stairs to take what Stiles assumes will be the world’s fastest shower. He pulls the apples from the heat and processes them. Luckily, Cora has another pot almost ready to be cooked so they’re not actually behind or anything. Talia brings him the dehydrator and freezer Ziploc bags. He’s already got gallons of applesauce and they’re only three fourths of the way through the sour apples.

“Know anyone with an apple press? These last ones will make really good cider.”

“I think we can find someone. Getting tired?”

She asks with a smirk; it’s only been a couple months knowing her and she already knows he starts projects too big for his energy levels.

“No,” he lies.

Cora snorts.

“Fine, yes, but as soon as I sit and start getting all this deliciousness into containers it will be better.”

Derek is back a few minutes later hair dripping all over the place and face and arms red from where he scrubbed. Stiles has to stifle a laugh.

Derek gets put on watch duty and is told to not let the apples burn or he’s in trouble. Stiles does indeed sit down as promised and shows Talia how his grandma taught him to make fruit leather.

“So you need the sheets for the trays and then you just spread a layer across the whole sheet. Don’t let it stay in the dehydrator for too long or it will get crispy.”

He explains how long babcia normally leaves it in for and then points to the biggest container and tells her to use all of that for the fruit leather.

As she’s filling the trays Stiles keeps an eye on her and starts to put applesauce in bags for the freezer. Once he’s got it all bagged up and labeled he grabs his own knife and starts to slice the last of the sweet apples. Talia gets up at one point to show Derek how to run the cooked apples through the processor before she’s back to finish filling up the dehydrating machine.

By the time the evening is over all the apples minus a bushel of sour apples have been processed in one way or another. The applesauce is in the freezer apart from the container for the family to eat, one for Stiles and the one for the fruit leather. The sweet apples are peeled, sliced and doused in salt water before they get put in freezer bags and labeled before getting put in the freezer as well.

Neither Talia nor Derek will let him get up to help do the dishes so he just sits in the Hale kitchen and enjoys the feeling of family around him. When he realizes the time and gets up to leave Derek and Talia walk him to the door. Derek looks confused that his mom is coming too but rolls with it easily.

“You should ice your ankle when you get home. Twenty minutes on-“

“Twenty minutes off. Yeah, I know. Thanks, I will. See you in the morning.”

Derek gives him a confused look but says, “See you in class,” and turns back inside the house.

Talia stays and grips him by the shoulders to look him right in the eye.

“Feel better at all?”

“Yeah I do. Thanks for- for listening.”

“Anytime Stiles,” she says as she pulls him in to a hug, “anytime, ok?”

“Yeah.”

He sighs from his spot pressed against her. It’s nothing like his mom’s hugs. His mom wasn’t this tall. But it feels like just what he needed anyway.

*

This whole friend group and friends beyond the group thing is still new for Stiles. He’s unsure at first how it’s all going to work out but he gets a system worked out nearly right away. He studies with Lydia on Mondays and Wednesdays, The Group on Tuesdays and Thursdays after they all workout together and then Fridays he gets to choose who he hangs out with. Normally it’s a decision between Derek and The Group. Derek wins a lot.

Therefore it’s a little strange that on a Wednesday while he’s working on physics with Lydia in the library at school, Scott, Isaac, Erica and Derek all walk in and sit at their table. Lydia doesn’t bat an eyelash at their appearance.

“What’s up guys?”

He directs the question to Derek with a look that better say, ‘explain yourselves.’ He gets a shrug and Scott says, “Calculus,” darkly like it’s the bane of his existence.

Which yeah, Stiles has watched his confused look in that class with growing amusement for the last week so he gets it, he really does. Since Scott is sitting next to Lydia she actually abandons the physics homework and starts explaining the concepts Scott’s been missing.

And just like that his careful separation and routine schedule is shattered. More often than not it’s all of them together either in the library or, more and more, they hang out at the Stilinski house.

Stiles was pretty sure his dad was on the verge of tears when he came home and found Stiles in the living room with The Group. It’s sad that all it took to get that stunned proud look on his dad’s face was to make friends but, it is what it is. John ends up buying them all pizza and they abandon homework soon after it arrives to just watch movies all together.

November creeps by like this. Soon it’s Thanksgiving and Stiles is getting groceries for the big meal. He hasn’t done this by himself ever but he always helped his mom. The biggest thing he’s worried about is the turkey itself. But with some clear pointers from Talia and Melissa McCall he thinks he’ll be ok.

Thanksgiving is going to be him, his dad, Scott and Melissa. It’s not like it’s Christmas or anything so Stiles is more than happy to have more people included. The Hale’s have a big enough group of people to feed with Isaac, Boyd and Erica joining them so Stiles doesn’t feel bad at not being included. He’s got his own family in his dad and Scott and Melissa have gotten pretty close with both of them.

From the beginning Scott has felt like a brother he never had. The easy camaraderie, similar interests and ability to just be weird together cemented their friendship. Melissa and John quickly bonded over having to deal with teenage boys alone over the summer. Stiles suspects they have more coffee dates than either one will let on.

Stiles is happy for his dad though. He’s fairly certain their friendship is just that; they’re friends. It hasn’t been two years since they lost Claudia and he still wears his wedding band and the two never go on actual dates. They meet for coffee or lunch and hang out to visit. Stiles is just glad his dad has an adult to talk to that isn’t a deputy or a lawyer.

That’s how Thanksgiving turns into Stiles cooking nearly all day long assisted by Scott. Scott had announced right at the beginning that he should not be allowed to cook so Stiles set him on prep work. Scott peeled potatoes, boiled cranberries, and helped Stiles clean the turkey when Stiles gagged. Stiles does all the actual cooking. He’s got pie made, works on the homemade buns, throws together a green bean casserole, boils the potatoes so he can mash them, has the turkey roasting and the cranberry fruit salad chilling.

So by the time the public servants get off their day shifts and walk in around 5:30 in the evening, dinner is served. They all sit together and go around the table to say what they’re thankful for. Stiles lets his dad eat whatever he wants. Even gravy. It’s a great moment of personal growth and his dad actually thanks him later for not making him eat mashed cauliflower.

The thing that caught him off guard with Thanksgiving was a conversation with Scott during the afternoon while they watched things cook.

“So Derek spends a lot of time with you doesn’t he?”

“Uh, yeah. We’re friends, Scott.”

“Yeah but he’s always around. I don’t think I ever see you hanging out with people and Derek’s not there.”

“What are you saying Scott.”

“I’m saying I think he might have…you know…feelings or something.”

“Feelings or something?” Stiles laughs. “Scott, we’re friends. If Derek wants there to be something different than that _he’s_ going to have to tell me.”

Scott let it drop but really what was up with that whole conversation anyway? It’s Stiles who has feelings he shouldn’t, not Derek. It’s probably just so painfully obvious that he is starting to like Derek. But Stiles is not willing to lose his best friend to some pesky feelings. He’s been ignoring them this long and by the end of the evening when Scott tries to bring it up again he’s decided he’s going to continue to ignore them until they go away. So possibly forever.

*

In all the times that Lydia has ended up studying and hanging out with The Group Jackson has never joined. All in all, Stiles doesn’t have any animosity towards Jackson. He’s a bit pompous and overly aware of his good looks but he hasn’t been an outright asshole to Stiles like Matt has.

It took a while to realize that where Danny is around Jackson because they’re friends, Matt is around Jackson because he wants to be Jackson’s friend. In all honesty that was what he was most wary of when Lydia first approached him: was just how much she knew of Matt and what he does to Stiles.

But after her little rant about Beacon Hills having ‘no homophobic idiots’ he’d been more inclined to trust her. Lydia proved to be yes, very intelligent and very capable of getting what she wants. But she lacks the ability to be deceiving. She is too straight forward and direct in her plans to be anything but blatantly honest.

She’s talked about Jackson and Danny during their study sessions, sure, but never once did she ask if they could come. Really, Stiles wouldn’t care either way. It’s like she has to warm him up for dealing with Jackson because for an entire week she talks about him and how much of his personality is rooted in insecurity after he found out he was adopted.

That bit of information kind of exactly corresponds to Scott telling him about the great douche-fest that was their sophomore year. But all in all he’s more inclined to believe Lydia from what he’s seen himself. Jackson may be popular and snotty to some perspectives but Stiles hasn’t ever seen him be mean or nasty to any one person in particular.

It’s more a feeling that he isn’t going to bring himself down to associate with the masses. Which, yeah, isn’t the best character trait. But he’s never been purposefully cruel so Stiles has him ranked pretty far above Daehler.

For some reason, when Stiles mentioned that he was going to have to start Christmas shopping soon Lydia had noticed. He’d been grumbling that he didn’t have enough in his savings to buy gifts for all these friends he’s made. She informs him after physics on Thursday that they are going shopping on Saturday and that she will be picking him up so he can’t back out.

It’s not likes it’s a hardship to spend time with her and if she’s going to take him to do something he really does need to get done why fight it? So he’s prepared to go shopping on Saturday. What he’s not prepared for is to have Jackson standing on his front porch instead of his girlfriend.

He really should have seen this coming.

 

“It’s really nice in this car.”

Jackson just barely contains a snicker.

“Compared to that piece of crap jeep you drive-“

“That I picked out with my now dead mother?” Stiles cuts him off with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, of course it’s nicer than a jeep that’s older than I am, dude.”

Jackson’s silent and Stiles just sighs.

“I _meant_ that I actually like the interior in this car. I had lower expectations for a Porsche.”

That earns him a glare from the driver.

“What the hell does that mean? It’s a _Porsche_.”

“Yeah. And there are other luxury cars that aren’t a Porsche. Like I think the Bugatti interiors are superb and Maserati is just, ugh, perfect. But this is nice. Nicer than I was expecting from one a high schooler’s been driving.”

Jackson looks gobsmacked. Stiles is just glad they’re at a red light. Jackson doesn’t seem to be able to do anything but stare at Stiles in wonderment. And that’s exactly how Lydia finds them when she meets them at the mall. Stiles recounting his trip to Poland when he was thirteen and he went to meet his mom’s family.

One of the great uncles or something had amassed himself a pretty decent fortune and liked cars. Stiles isn’t a gearhead by any means but he can appreciate the aesthetic of cars. Some are just more fun to look at and some are really fun to drive but he doesn’t know any more than the basics when it comes to car maintenance.

Any awkwardness is pretty much erased as they talk and shop with Lydia. It’s not until he gets through the second store that he realizes he hasn’t bought anything. He’s got bags in his hands and those bags have the things he was going to buy but he has yet to pull out his wallet.

Something like recognition must show on his face but before he can say anything to Lydia’s fast retreating back Jackson stops him with a hand on his arm.

“Don’t. Just let her. She knows she’s not the most…empathetic friend but she knows how to do this. It also gives her a sense of something warm and fuzzy when she uses the credit card her dad gave her in excess. He may think that he’s buying her affections but really he’s buying stuff and absolutely nothing else. She vehemently dislikes her father. He- he didn’t even try for partial custody when her parents divorced. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive him.”

It dawns on him that as obnoxiously cliché it is that these two people at the top of the popularity food chain are dating that it’s for no reason less than they want to be together. It’s written all over Jackson’s face when he explains; the affection, worry and pride. And it’s in Lydia’s defensive and protective words for Jackson’s character.

Stiles just about ‘awws’ right then and there.

He ends up with his ‘friend presents’ bought by the end of the shopping spree. They have lunch before Jackson drops him off. Stiles is supposed to study with The Group for the afternoon and it’s not like he doesn’t share classes with Jackson so why couldn’t he join them now too?

“Do you have the econ homework done? Lydia’s coming by to work on that and physics if you wanted to stay.”

Jackson looks at him considering.

“Just Lydia?”

“Um, everybody. Scott, Isaac, Boyd, Erica, Derek, and Allison.”

Jackson sighs the sigh of the long suffering and Stiles finally sees the day for what it is.

“Oh, God. She planned this whole thing didn’t she?”

Jackson just has his head leaned back against the head rest.

“Pretty much.”

“Well, Lydia gets what Lydia wants so come on in. Maybe if we finish fast enough there’ll be enough time to play some Call of Duty later.”

Stiles gets out of the car and misses the look of shock pass over Jackson’s face. An hour later when he, Jackson and Lydia are all in the living room working he doesn’t miss the way The Group makes their entrance. It’s actually incredibly comedic. They’re all bunched up in the doorway with matching looks of surprise and Stiles just actually cannot contain his laughter.

It’s awkward. Painfully so. But it gets better as the day goes on. He sees Jackson turn to Erica, who really was the one giving him the most irritated looks of the bunch, and say, “I, uh, don’t know if anyone told you but. The uh, video, I had Danny find it and take it down. He traced anyone who had done anything with it too and deleted whatever they’d done. And then he made up a virus in the old link so if anybody clicked it they’d not only get sent to a video telling them to go fuck themselves but every time they go to watch a video for the next month they get rerouted to ‘Two girls one cup’ on repeat.”

Stiles has no idea what half that means but by the way Erica kind of throws herself into hugging him he’d guess it was a pretty significant thing to have done. She pulls away almost as fast and rushes to the bathroom where he’s pretty sure she cries for a minute or two. He finds her in his bathroom upstairs and offers her a cool washcloth for her eyes. They don’t talk about it she just fixes her makeup and they go back to the group like nothing ever happened.

It ends up better than Stiles is expecting it to. They finish their homework and play a bit of COD before everybody leaves to finally go home.

Before he goes to sleep he sends Lydia a text.

**Your ingenuity frightens me sometimes. <<**

All he gets in reply is:

_**:) >>** _

He figures she gets it.

*

After that it’s easier to see everybody because Stiles doesn’t have to split his time between anyone. That lasts for about a week and a half. After that Derek misses nearly two days a week for an entire month. He’s so behind Stiles basically becomes his personal tutor to keep him caught up. It’s starting to worry Stiles how much school he’s missing. And he’ll never give a reason why so that just peaks his curiosity even more. It’s on a rare day that they make plans to work out things really go to hell.

Gym class is torture because Matt decides to be a piece of shit and go after Stiles in the dodge ball games every chance he gets. And yeah, the school uses the softer nerf balls and not actual rubber dodge balls, but you get hit in the face enough times it’s annoying. His first mistake, apparently, is trying to leave without talking to Matt first.

Matt starts following him and all thoughts of working out with Derek leave his brain and his only goal is to get away and get away _now_. It’s been a few days since Matt has done anything really obnoxious. Stiles has a feeling he’s got something up his sleeve from how he acted in class and all day he’s been glaring at Stiles.

It probably has to do with the fact that Jackson and Danny sat with them all at lunch.

He makes for the door to the gym that leads out to the parking lot. He gets out the door but Matt is right behind him and shoves him towards the dumpsters. Somehow Matt got faster because he is _right there_ in Stiles’ face and pressing him up against the open dumpster.

“You think you’re friends with Jackson now, huh? You really think he gives a shit about you being around him? You know why I know he doesn't? Because compared to him you’re trash. Fucking faggot trash.”

Stiles doesn’t even have time to think and Matt has actually _thrown him into the dumpster._ He peers over the edge and says, “Now you’re where you belong,” before he’s gone.

Instinct is to get out as fast as he can but Stiles can’t move. Before he hasn’t had any trouble not believing what Matt says to him. Stiles has done nothing to this guy and he thinks he’s trash. All the connotations that go along with that and Stiles is left reeling. It’s a struggle to get out of the container and he’s covered in filth by the time he gets his feet on the pavement.

He’s tired and weary and just got thrown in the trash and he is not even a little embarrassed that he is near tears. The parking lot is empty and he starts to shuffle to his jeep. He’s unlocking the door when he hears Derek call his name.

“Stiles!”

He sighs and turns around. Working out is not high up on the things he wants to do right now. The stupid thing is if he hadn’t forgotten about Derek, Matt wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

“Where are you-“ He stops when he sees the mess all over Stiles and his backpack. “What happened!”

“What does it look like happened Derek,” he snaps and immediately feels bad for it. “I’m sorry-“

Derek shakes his head and makes a cut off motion with his hand.

“You’re fine. Seriously though, what-“

“Can we just not?“ he pleads.

Something changes on Derek’s face and his concern and anger get reigned in and he looks determined now.

“Ok, I am going to go workout for a little while. You’re going to go home and shower and-“

The ‘cry your eyes out’ gets cut off but Stiles is fairly certain that is what his face is saying anyway.

“And then we’re watching Captain America because then we can bask in the glory that is Chris Evans’ shoulders.”

Stiles can’t help the bark of laughter that bursts out of him; he could kiss Derek for that response. Whoa. That was- Well, not unexpected just, he actually sincerely meant that. Derek isn’t going to make him talk about it and isn’t judging him hard for wanting to cry. He pulls himself out of his quickly spiraling thoughts and wipes at his nose when he sniffs and nods back.

“Yeah, ok.”

Derek gives him a look like he wants to say something else and decides against it before he turns and runs back towards the gym.

“You have two hours!” he yells over his shoulder.

Stiles still feels gross and his backpack is disgusting. He throws it in the back of the jeep, strips off his dirty jeans and hoodie in the empty parking lot and gets in to drive home in his boxers and t-shirt.

He’s never been that person who cries in the shower but it just feels fitting today. His dad isn’t home when he gets there so he leaves his backpack, throws the clothes in the wash and heads for the shower. Once his hands are clean it’s all he can do to just sit under the spray and hide his face while he sobs. He doesn’t know how long it lasts and really it can’t take too long to get it out of his system because the water is still hot by the time he stands up and scrubs away the filth and stink.

He’s all out of tears and he’s sick of the ache in his chest from sobbing. He gets out of the shower once he’s deemed himself clean and can’t smell anything but his body wash anymore. He puts on his favorite blue plaid pajama pants and goes into his dad’s room to steal one of his dad’s academy shirts. It’s practically threadbare but it’s so soft and it smells like his dad’s aftershave and Stiles is taking all the comfort he can get right now.

He pulls himself together and goes to sit on his bed. He pulls out all the extra pillows from the linen closet on the way and makes himself a nest. Once he’s leaning back against the pile of pillows in front of his headboard he lets himself just sit. He’s not quite meditating but it’s probably as close to it that his hyperactive mind will allow.

All he’s got is his phone twiddling in his hands. He doesn’t get his laptop. Doesn’t read a book. Just sits there flipping the phone. Over and over. He tries to catalogue where he’s at and what he’s feeling now.

He’s not sad anymore, but he’s also not angry yet. He’s in this middle ground where he just kind of feels, hollow. It’s not entirely pleasant but it’s not as bad as feeling like shit.

Eventually Derek is there. Stiles doesn’t get up to let him in. He just hears the front door open and shut and then there’s footfalls on the stairs. Stiles looks up from his hands when he knows Derek is in the room. He’s watching Stiles with such concern Stiles doesn’t know what to do. Derek just tosses his keys on the desk and crawls up the bed to sit next to Stiles.

That lasts but a moment before Derek is tentatively putting an arm around his shoulders. Stiles goes with it; not actually minding the idea of physical comfort right now. Once Stiles lays his head on Derek’s chest and doesn’t actually say anything Derek clears his throat.

“Stiles, this is a stupid question but I’d like to clarify. You got thrown in the dumpster after school, right?”

Stiles nods.

“Who?” he practically growls.

“Matt Daehler,” Stiles says on a sigh.

It was a lot easier than he thought it would be to admit it.

“Why?” he asks earnestly. “I don’t understand-“

“He has taken offense to the fact that I swing both ways.”

“But how does he even- oh. Picture day. Has this kind of stuff been happening since the _beginning of school?_ ”

Stiles just nods again.

“Jesus,” he breathes, “and you haven’t told anybody.”

Stiles pushes off his chest to look at him curiously.

“How can you possibly know that?”

Derek shrugs faking nonchalance.

“Maybe I know _you.”_

His façade quickly deteriorates though because Derek is angry.

“It’s just like you to be stubborn and not ask for help. But you better damn well know that this little situation is going to change.”

“Derek-“ Stiles tries to interject but Derek rolls right over him.

“How are you friends with Lydia and Jackson? He’s always around them!”

“I know!”

Stiles snaps; he’s ready to be angry now.

“I know that Derek. But I’ve also noticed that it’s fairly one sided. So until I see evidence of Jackson actually saying shit like Matt does they can stay. I don’t like it but I also know that they probably aren’t homophobic assholes since they’re practically in a three way relationship with Danny!”

“Why are you so quick to defend them but you won’t defend yourself?!” Derek barks.

“I don’t know!” Stiles yells right back.

But that catches him as they sit there and Stiles feels himself deflate.

“I don’t know, Derek,” he says, softer this time.

“It seemed easier to just deal with alone.”

Derek seems to have calmed down after a moment too.

“Well, you’re not alone anymore.”

It’s another minute of them laying back against the pillows again before they decide to put a movie in. They watch the A-team and the Avengers. After an hour of discussing the unresolved sexual tension between Captain America and Iron Man in the Marvel universe Stiles is feeling much better.

Once Derek has to go Stiles gets up to walk him out. Derek pauses before he opens the front door and turns back to face Stiles.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

Stiles shrugs; he doesn’t really have an answer other than it’s embarrassing that he’s being bullied. Like he’s some fifth grader on the playground getting picked on by middle schoolers.

“I swing both ways. Well, I do actually swing from both sides of the plate in baseball but- I mean I’m demisexual. It doesn’t matter to me what gender someone is; I need a strong emotional attachment to a person before it’s even possible to be attracted to them. It’s- ok it’s not actually a secret because my family and Boyd and Erica all know. I just mean-“

Derek is flustered and despite being completely drained Stiles wants to laugh at him just a little.

“Keeping things secret doesn’t help anything. We all learned that sophomore year with Isaac. We all knew something was wrong but we never talked about it. If we would have just talked to each other we could have gotten Isaac out of that situation sooner.”

“Yeah, you say that but whenever I ask why you miss so much school you close up. Just, just like that. I’m not saying you’re wrong because yeah, I probably could have told someone sooner and had this taken care of. But everybody’s got secrets Derek.”

Derek doesn’t try to argue against that. Mainly because in order to do so he’d have to actually explain what he doesn’t want to, Stiles thinks.

Derek leaves and ten minutes later his dad comes home. John takes one look at Stiles and knows it was a bad day. He just puts an arm around his shoulders and walks him to the kitchen. Stiles grabs the spoons and his dad gets the ice cream from the freezer. They sit down across from each other with the ice cream in the middle of the table.

“Gonna tell me what happened?” his dad asks around a mouthful of rocky road.

Stiles shoves a spoon in his mouth before he says, “I got called trash and thrown in a dumpster.”

His dad’s spoon drops to the table and the clatter it makes is all very dramatic.

“Are you ok?”

Stiles sighs. He’s doing a lot of sighing tonight but he’s so damn tired of it all.

“I’m fine. Monday we can go to the faculty and see if there’s anything to be done.”

They leave it at that and the topic gets changed to the case of the animal attacks. As it turned out the woman had a criminal record. Not that that actually tells them anything because ‘Once is an accident, twice is coincidence, three times is a pattern.’ It’s not like they’re wishing for more people to be attacked and killed. But to make it something they can investigate they need more to go on.

The ice cream gets replaced with warmed up leftovers for supper and then they end up on the couch together watching TV until they go to bed. It’s Friday the next day and everyone is coming over to study for finals next week.

He’s expecting things to still be a little stilted within the group when they all end up at his house the next day. It’s not like all their differences disappear overnight. Danny is even here to study because why wouldn’t he when his besties are here too. But he really doesn’t know what to do about the daggers Derek is glaring at Jackson and Lydia.

They’re a couple hours in to studying for the econ final and Jackson’s been frowning at his phone for the last ten minutes. He sighs before he looks right at Stiles and asks, “Hey can Daehler come study with us? He won’t stop texting me.”

Before Stiles can even recover from the words that he swears felt like a slap to the face Derek has already snapped, “Fuck no,” back.

“Jeez, chill Hale. Besides, it’s Stilinski’s house-“

“After what Matt did to Stiles he isn’t coming anywhere near this house,” Derek rumbles still glaring as if looks could kill.

This is just as embarrassing as Stiles suspected it would be.

“Can we just say that no he’s not invited and leave-“

“What did he do to you Stiles?” Lydia demands.

It’s not really asking in that tone of voice.

Stiles just sighs and fidgets with his hands.

“He’s bullied me for being bisexual since school pictures. He sprained my ankle in gym class and threw me in a dumpster yesterday because ‘that’s where trash belongs.’”

Well, that got away from him.

He looks back up and is pretty damn surprised because _everyone_ looks fucking _murderous._

Jackson glares at his phone, “That fucking piece of shit.”

Derek’s not done being angry and defensive because he growls, “He’s always around you and you honestly didn’t know he was like this?”

“No!” Jackson snaps. “I wouldn’t even talk to him if I-“

He breathes in and out slowly before he turns to look at Stiles.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I’d known. I also wouldn’t let him be around _me_ if I’d known. _I’m bisexual._ ”

Lydia cuts in with a hand on his arm.

“Just believe that he won’t be a problem anymore.”

Derek has to go for a walk before he actually calms down but after that, everything calms back down. Derek, Jackson and Lydia are the last to leave with more assurances that Matt will be taken care of. Over the course of the afternoon the three had somehow ended up together and plotting. At least that’s what it looked like they were doing and what it sounds like they’re going to do.

Later he realizes that these people, his group, were the best people he could have befriended. Especially in this situation because they don’t let their own get hurt. He should have known better and just told someone; they would have helped him. Hindsight is always 20/20 though.

*

By Monday it’s not like he’s forgotten Jackson and Lydia’s assurances of retribution it’s just yet again, he doesn’t know what to expect from these people.

With finals taking precedent though it’s easy to lose focus on figuring out just what is going to happen to Matt. He has two finals on Monday alone. It’s not until gym class he notices anything.

Matt won’t even _look_ at him. Just for kicks Stiles throws a dodgeball at him in the middle of the game. Matt ignores it. He says nothing to Stiles. The best part is how smug Jackson, Scott and Derek all look at the end of class when there’s been no interaction. 

The week flies by in last minute study sessions after school and tests in class. By Friday he is more than ready to have the kindergarten Christmas program and be done with school for a couple weeks.

He practically inhales his sandwich for lunch as he walks from his locker to Mrs. Dahl’s classroom. He gets there expecting chaos and is pleasantly surprised to see the kids sitting, albeit excitedly, doing an art project for their parents. Their tables are a mess of glitter pens, stickers and markers. But the stockings they’re decorating look great.

He and Mrs. Dahl have gone over what this whole day would entail in detail many times over the last two weeks. He gets right into his assigned tasks so he can hopefully be done before any of the parents show up.

He grabs a ladder and works on hanging sheet three feet in front of the kid’s cubbies. It’s going to be their makeshift ‘backstage’ area. After the black sheet is up there he puts two more up at the front of the class for stage curtains. When he’s satisfied with that he goes to the costume box and carries it behind to the cubbies. Each costume has a name safety pinned to it so Stiles can easily match the costume with the cubby. After the costumes are arranged he sets up the backgrounds at the front of the classroom and tidies the bookshelf and all the toys get put away in their totes.

By the time he’s finished with all that the stocking decorating has finished so he has more to clean up. Luckily the kids are going to the gym for a little while to burn off some energy before the program. Once they’re all out of the room clean-up is a breeze. The stockings get carefully arranged on a table that’s been set up in the play area. Any extra sweaters or sweatshirts around the desks get put into the child’s cubby underneath their costume. Then it’s collecting the markers, glitter pens and extra stickers before he can wipe down the desk tops.

The kids get back and flood the room with excited shrieks and giggles. Right up until Mrs. Dahl rings her bell that is. The classroom seems to halt at the sound and the kids shuffle dejectedly to their desks. Their downturned faces don’t last long though because now it’s time to get their costumes on.

Stiles helps the first group put on their costumes that make twelve of them represent The Twelve Days of Christmas gifts. After he’s got a golden ring, a goose, a hen and all the rest they get sent to the reading corner with Mrs. Dahl to wait until the parents show up. The second group all make up the nativity scene. Genevieve is, of course, an angel. But this means she has lines to say and has been very nervous that she’s going to mess it up.

Stiles had practiced with her in class and told her that Derek would help her when she was at home too. He made sure Derek knew how nervous his little sister was and he promised he’d help. She still looks about as white as her costume, though, now that the day has arrived.

After that she doesn’t have time to be nervous and Stiles doesn’t have the time he wants to comfort her because the parents are finally here.

First up is The Twelve Days of Christmas song. The kids know it by heart and sing (yell) out all the right words. The second group of kids waits patiently by the cubbies for their turn. Once Stiles is convinced they’ll be ok watching the other half of the class perform he goes to set out the refreshments.

Mrs. Dahl shuffles the kids around after the song is over. The first group is in their desks by the time the nativity scene is set up. Stiles sneaks in beside Talia before they start. It’s pretty much the cutest thing watching his kids get up and say the short lines they practiced so much. Genevieve, as an angel, has more than just one line of narration. From the Christmas story in the book of Luke in the Bible she has to say nearly four verses.

Stiles can’t help but grin when her confident voice rings out clear in the dim classroom.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Talia sniffles at the end. Stiles gets it. It’s a lot to take in seeing your baby with anxiety issues overcome them in front of a room full of strangers. He ends up with his arm around her waist and her arm over his shoulders and they’re both beaming with pride. The program continues to the three wise men coming and then the kids sing Silent Night and take their bows.

The parents all applaud proudly as their kids bow again and scramble to take their costumes off. There are cookies to get to after all. Stiles helps manage the mahem of the refreshments table while Mrs. Dahl talks to all the parents and gives them the stockings the kids made earlier in the day. It’s all bedlam while kids enjoy their snack and the parents visit.

Every kid there had at least one parent so after snacks are done and costumes returned to tubs the kids are free to go home. Stiles has permission to miss his remaining classes for the day and stays to help clean up. Without the kids to monitor, Mrs. Dahl helps him though so it doesn’t take very long and the classroom is cleaned up and ready for a new semester.

Mrs. Dahl excuses him early and he gets to go home. Finals may be over but now he’s got Christmas to take care of.

*

He’s got four days until Christmas.

The shopping is done, presents are wrapped and the groceries are bought. But he hasn’t made _any_ cookies.

He’s got three days until Christmas.

The shopping is done, presents are wrapped and the groceries are bought. He has dozens of cookies made.

Mrs. Jeska had come over bright and early the day before and they baked the entire day. They made dozens of treats and a dozen different types of cookies and bars. His Polish was a little rusty in the morning but by the time his dad comes home from work he’s nearly fluent again. It helped that Mrs. Jeska refused to speak English unless he really got stuck.

It’s always fun spending time with her. She does remind him of his grandma in a way. Mainly, her stubbornness and her tendency to complain and swear in Polish. But the day was fun and relaxed and Stiles feels so much better than he did those last few weeks of school.

“You doing ok, sloneczko? Keeping out of trouble?”

“Yes, ma’am. I did have a little trouble with a bully for a while. But my friends took care of him for me.”

“That’s what friends do. Did you make good friends? Who are their parents?”

Stiles laughs and tells her about The Group. Her only comment is, “Oh, the Hales good family. Irish, but they still very good family,” and he can’t help but feel something warm curl up in his chest.

Honestly the Hales have begun to feel like extended family. He and his dad go over there often enough for dinner and he spends just as much time there with Derek as Derek spends at the Stilinski house anymore.

It’s actually kind of really nice. It’s nice to have a backup family. He knows if anything were to happen to him or his dad they’d have the Hales to help them with anything.

All too soon Christmas is here. He doesn’t see any of The Group but they have plans to exchange gifts on the 27th at the coffee shop Stiles frequented the past summer. The holidays were never very big even when his mom was alive. Last year it was too soon after her passing to even really think about celebrating anything.

This year it still hurts. It still hurts she’s not there. She’s not hanging up mistletoe so she can kiss Stiles and his dad underneath it. She’s not there to drag them to a church service or to play Christmas carols around the house.

When they moved they almost didn’t bring the decorations boxes. Stiles is glad now they didn’t throw them out. They still don’t pull everything out but they’ve had a tree up since shortly after Thanksgiving. Their fireplace isn’t as grand as the Hale’s but it’s still rather nice to have a mantle to hang the stockings from.

Stiles puts up all three.

Maybe it’s because it’s so unlike how his mother would have decorated that it makes it easier to go to Mrs. Jeska’s. Mrs. Jeska’s, whose house feels like Christmas vomited all over every available surface.

Stiles spends the day there helping her cook Christmas dinner while his dad is at work. They have everything nearly done when it’s time for church. Mrs. Jeska had insisted that they go to Christmas mass and there was to be no arguing.

It’s nice to go and be squished into the pew between his dad and Mrs. Jeska. After they sit down Stiles spies the Hale family sitting three rows in front of them. The service hasn’t started so he pulls his phone out and texts Derek.

**I see you… <<**

**What?? >>**

He watches in amusement as Derek looks all over and enlists Laura to do the same. It takes Cora turning around and looking right behind them all before she rolls her eyes and smacks Derek’s shoulder. _Then_ Derek turns around and sees him. Stiles smiles big and waves at him just as the music starts to play and the service starts.

It helps being there because it’s similar enough to feel familiar but so completely different than what it was like in their old town that it doesn’t make it heartrending to sit through. The choir is good, the priest keeps it short and sweet, and the songs are traditional so Stiles can sing (badly) along.

He’d really like to stick around after and talk to the Hale family but they’ve got the food they need to check on so the three of them leave. He does text Derek that he’ll call him later on the drive back to their street.

Supper is wonderful. They all speak in Polish the whole time, eat way too much food and exchange presents. It’s perfect and by the time it’s over Stiles can’t actually believe it. He and his dad bundle up and walk home though.

They end up in their pajamas, sitting on the couch together with mugs of hot chocolate and they talk about Claudia. It still hurts like a bitch at points but something about the dim room, the cozy clothes and the post-turkey haze makes it bearable. After they say goodnight Stiles goes up to his room to call Derek.

He brushes his teeth first and then crawls in to his bed with his phone and hits call. It only rings twice before he answers.

“Hey.” He sounds just as sleepy as Stiles feels. “So how was Christmas?”

Stiles goes off on how delicious the potatoes were and how tired he is from the turkey. He gushes over the mittens that Mrs. Jeska had knitted him and that Derek would be jealous of them. He tells him about his mom a bit and how he and his dad had talked about her and as much as it hurt it felt good to remember.

It’s only when he hears Derek laugh after he says, “Moje Święta były świetne, a twoje?” that he realizes-

”Did you speak in Polish with Mrs. Jeska tonight?”

Stiles palms his face in embarrassment.

“Oh my god. Why didn’t you stop me!”

“You sounded so excited, I didn’t want to.”

Stiles groans.

“Well then tell me about your Christmas and I’ll start over in English after.”

So Stiles listens to Derek tell him about the big supper with all the kids home and how Alex brought home a girlfriend so it’s pretty serious. He tells Stiles about the new books he got and the socks Laura had tried to knit them all. Tommy’s were the best but nobody minded. Talia had really liked the watch that Stiles helped Derek and Laura pick out and Genevieve ate nearly every oatmeal butterscotch cookie that Stiles had sent over. Stiles is half asleep just listening to the soothing sound of Derek’s voice. He focuses more when he hears Derek chuckle.

“You still there Stiles?” he asks softly.

“Mhm. I just- your voice is really smooth. I uh,” he clears his throat, “I helped Mrs. Jeska cook supper but her mashed potatoes were so good I almost cried. I got some sweet mittens she made me and we talked about my mom when Dad and I got home. It- it still hurts but it felt good to remember.”

Derek just hums, “I bet. What are you doing for New Years?”

Stiles huffs and rolls onto his side so the phone can just lay on his ear when he curls his arms around his pillow.

“You want me to think? I’m practically asleep.” He mumbles.

Derek says something else but it does little to rouse Stiles from his stupor and merely lulls him to sleep. The last thing he hears is a fond, “good night Stiles,” before he’s swallowed by sleep.

*

New Year’s ends up being quiet. His dad has to work New Year’s Day so Stiles spends the day at the Hale’s. Laura and Alex are still home, though Alex’s girlfriend isn’t there anymore. They spend the morning sitting around, watching movies, playing board games and card games.

After lunch Stiles, Derek, Tommy, Genevieve, and Tyler all go outside in the snow. It’s uneven numbers for a snowball fight so it ends up being a free for all. Derek shoves snow down Stiles’ shirt and Derek gets it down his pants in retaliation. They make snow angels all over the yard but Ben walks through half of them when he comes over to snuffle at their faces, making sure they’re not hurt.

They make a snowman right before they go inside. It ends up that Stiles stayed out way too long and is freezing cold. Derek actually scolds him and shoves him into a shower to warm up. And then when he gets out there’s sweatpants, thick socks, a Henley, hoodie and clean boxer briefs waiting for him. Putting them all on is like taking a hit of Derek’s scent and it’s stupidly comforting at this point.

Stiles helps make supper and after he and Derek go up to his room and watch Sherlock on his laptop and talk. Ever since the whole Matt/dumpster/secrets day Derek has been more…forward than ever before. It’s like their teasing and joking has turned into flirting and innuendo more often than not now.

Not that Stiles is complaining.

As much as he wants to he doesn’t stay the night. School is starting in a few days and he needs to spend as much of his remaining vacation with his dad or cleaning his house as possible.

*

Classes start again and it’s back to more of the same. They get about a week before the homework picks up again and they’re in the middle of coursework. Study sessions become a regular thing now but the boys have to start training for lacrosse in earnest now. Stiles still goes and works out every now and again but not as often as before.

On the last day of January Stiles walks to gym class with a shit eating grin. He walks into the locker room and finds Derek to wave a piece of paper in front of his face. He growls in frustration and grabs Stiles hand to stop the flailing.

“I know something you don’t know.” Stiles sing songs.

“What’s that? That you’re still shorter than me?” Derek deadpans.

“Hey! I was taller than you when I had my growth spurt.” Stiles argues back.

“And then I had one and I have you beat again. So what is it you’re so smugly trying to tell me?”

“I got invited to Vieve’s party and you didn’t.”

Derek laughs.

“Figures. Mom told her she shouldn’t invite you with her little friends and have you for dinner instead.”

Stiles shrugs, “She invited all people from her class so it’s not like I don’t know them. Plus I’m just going for the cake and then I’ll hang out with you.”

Derek lifts and eyebrow at him in speculation.

“You think so do ya?”

 

He finds his assumption was wrong.

He plays pin the crown on the princess.

He colors a picture of a castle.

He makes a tiara and paints his nails.

He even gets his picture behind a sign that proclaims him to be the ‘fairest of them all’.

 _Then_ he gets cake.

Derek laughs at him for five whole minutes before they settle in to watch Sherlock season 3.

 

It’s hours later and Stiles has forgotten everything but conversing with Derek. They’re in his room sitting across from each other on the bed debating whether Marvel will actually make a Black Widow movie and if Disney and Universal will get along long enough for Spiderman to be an Avenger. He’s so completely immersed in what they’re talking about he’s forgotten that there’s a winter storm warning for that evening. And that he was supposed to leave before it started so he could get home. And he forgot to grab his emergency bag of clothes but remembered his pillow, it’s in his jeep.

It all comes crashing back to the forefront of his brain when Andrew knocks on the door and comes in.

“Hey boys. Stiles your dad just called. It seems you’re not answering your phone? Anyway the storm that wasn’t supposed to happen until later is well, here, now. So he asked if you could stay here which is fine of course but he was concerned that you didn’t have your pillow. I mean we have pillows here kid I-“

“I’ve never been able to sleep without my pillow. It’s weird I know but I may have packed it in the jeep just in case something like this happened.”

“Oh well, I’ll go get it then I know how easily you get cold,” he says with a wink and he’s gone.

Stiles turns back to Derek who’s grinning like a fool.

“Impromptu sleepover! Wanna watch dramas or action movies?”

Stiles thinks about it; he’s already calm and sleepy. No need to get the adrenaline going if he’s going to need to sleep soon.

“Dramas.”

“Invictus or The King’s Speech?”

“King’s Speech first, Invictus if I’m still awake?”

Derek just smiles big and blinding and beautiful.

“Perfect.”

They end up going downstairs to make popcorn, get another piece of cake each and grab a couple bottles of water before they make their way back up to Derek’s room. Stiles has his pillow and they already have the guest bed made up and ready for him. They get settled in with their snacks and pillows and start the movie.

Stiles makes it to the coronation practice before he’s dozing.

He wakes up to the bed shifting and when he opens his eyes Derek is laying down facing him. He blinks a few times and stretches a little and when he gets his eyes open for real Derek is really close. He sighs. It would be so easy just to reach forward and-

Talia knocks on the door. The boys separate and the moment is lost.

“Stiles, I didn’t turn the heat up in the guest room but I put an extra blanket at the end of the bed for you. See you boys in the morning.”

Stiles sighs again which turns into a yawn and crawls off the bed. He grabs his pillow and the blanket he got all warm.

“I guess I should go to the guest bed.”

Derek looks like he wants to say ‘stay’ before his face falls and he agrees.

“Yeah, I guess. Night Stiles. See you at breakfast.”

Stiles just nods sleepily. “Night Derek.”

Stiles rubs at his eye while he walks out and he thinks he hears Derek sigh and flop back into the pillows but he’s too tired to think it through. He makes it to the guest room and before he collapses sees some of Derek’s clothes waiting for him for the morning. As it is he has just enough brain power to strip out of his jeans and shirts and crawl into the bed in just his boxer briefs. He’s pretty sure he’s asleep before he and his pillow actually settle on the bed.

When he wakes up in the morning it’s not slowly to the sound of birds and sunshine like he envisioned happening in this house in the woods. Oh no. He wakes up with a newly-turned-six year old girl on his chest demanding he wake up and play. He groans and pulls her down so she’s laying next to him and he’s got his arms wrapped around her keeping her still.

“No play, time to sleep still,” he grumbles and puts his head on her tummy.

She giggles and laughs when he doesn’t let her up.

“Stiillless.” She whines. “Let me go!”

“Hmm…this pillow is quite loud,” he says, “and quite squirmy.”

“Stiles! I’m not a pillow! It’s Vieve and it’s time to get up!”

“Who knew I’d be jealous of a six year old.”

Stiles and Vieve look up to see Derek standing in the door.

“What do ya mean?” he asks, still groggy.

“I mean that she gets morning cuddles and I don’t,” he says with a smirk and fucking walks away.

Stiles and Vieve look at each other.

“He’s weird.”

Stiles snorts.

“Sure, weird. That’s what we’ll call it. Ok now I _am_ going to the bathroom before we play. Is that allowed dear princess?”

She giggles and runs from the room so he figures that means she’ll allow it.

Once he gets downstairs and looks out the window he sees everything with a fresh layer of snow on everything. It’s _beautiful_ and unmarked because Ben was in the house for the night. Derek and Laura are in the kitchen and Laura hands him a mug of coffee when he walks over. They end up sitting at the table just looking out the big glass doors to watch the winter wonderland that is their backyard now as they wake up.

He doesn’t get to play with Vieve though because his dad wants him home. Alex brushes the snow off all their cars and starts the jeep so the engine can warm up a little. He thanks Andrew and Talia for letting him stay and he leaves with his clothes and pillow in tow.

When he gets home he’s so busy doing chores for his dad he doesn’t really have a chance to think about the previous day. He and Derek have been close, even by Halloween everybody had noticed but it’s grown different in the last month or so. When Stiles goes to bed that night wearing Derek’s shirt again he lets himself think on all Derek’s behaviors and comments. It’s confusing and straightforward at the same time. The almost kiss kind of cements some things Stiles has been feeling towards Derek but he still falls asleep uncertain of what it all means.

*

Valentine's Day marks the end of these people’s holiday season but to Stiles it’s never been anything special. It's too close to his mom’s birthday to really be a good day anymore and Stiles has never had a significant other to worry about the day at all. His old school did very little on that day and discouraged any activities that could be disruptive of classes.

Beacon Hills, it turns out, is oh so very different.

Stiles walks in and takes in the scene. It's ridiculous. There's balloons everywhere. On the doorways, littering the floor; pink, red, and white balloons as far as the eye can see. And that doesn't take into account the giant red helium filled heart balloons that seem to be attached to a third of the lockers all down the hallway.

It's still early and he can see the science and tech club people still attaching even more hearts to more lockers. He makes his way to his own and is shocked to find a balloon waiting for him. There's a little tag that reads, "You got a balloon. Figure out who wanted you to smile on your first guess and win a prize.” The back just has the science and tech club's logo and a 'thank you for your support!'

Ok, so it's a fundraising effort. Stiles can get behind that. He must have missed the day this was explained. He didn't get anything through the school. Mrs. Dahl's class all made valentines boxes and made sure Stiles made one too. He had valentines for each kindergartener, an extra for Vieve and the extras he made up for his group. Hopefully no one gets mad he didn't get them a balloon. Well, he'd probably only get Derek one. So hopefully Derek's not upset.

The balloon does its job though and makes him smile. He doesn't want to risk it getting popped if he leaves it at his locker so he grabs the books he needs and ties the ribbon to the top of his backpack. It's long enough that it floats behind him but not too tall that it catches in the doorframe. He heads down to the calc classroom to finish his assignment.

He's lost in his own world so he misses the worried look fade from Derek’s face when he walks in and sees the balloon on Stiles’ backpack. He finishes the last touches on his problems when Derek sits down.

"You got a balloon."

"Jealous?"

"Oh, very." Derek deadpans. "Any idea who got it for you?"

Stiles thinks his nonchalance might be a little forced but doesn't acknowledge it really. So he shrugs and admits, "I have my suspicions."

"Did your old school do anything like this?"

"Absolutely not. That ridiculous amount of balloons would never happen in my old school."

"That's- you are in for an interesting day," Derek says with look Stiles can't get a read on.

He can't decide if he should be excited or nervous.

Turns out the teachers in Beacon Hills don't really plan much for the day. They're working through the calculus homework when Stiles looks up to a noise in the hall. Well, ‘noise’, it's singing. Suddenly the door opens, everyone looks up and smiles, and a group of five people walk in singing.

They're all dressed up in crazy red and pink outfits. Girls in tutus. Guys in suits with bow ties. They've got stickers on their faces and crowns in their hair. They look like Valentine's Day threw up all over them; they're really quite festive.

They walk in singing and the last person has a decorated lab stool with them. He sets it in front of the class and the singers stand behind it. One of them calls out a name and a girl Stiles has never talked to walks up and sits on the stool. She's clearly enjoying the attention and doesn't so much as blush as they begin to serenade her.

She gets heart stickers on her face, glitter sprinkled over her hair and a crown of her own. They sing two songs for her before handing her a card and proclaiming that she'd 'received her singing telegram.' After she gets the card she returns to her seat and the group leaves singing.

Stiles is speechless. _People actually do this_? This is crazy. He hears Derek snort and looks over and sees Derek's phone in his face.

"Your face. I couldn't-"

He's trying really hard not to laugh at Stiles and Stiles has no idea what his face is actually doing because he is in disbelief. That was _awesome_. And hilarious.

"Oh man," Scott turns around, "I forget you haven't been here forever, dude. This happens every year. It loses its appeal after the 6th time."

"THIS HAPPENS ALL DAY?" he manages to whisper shout just as the door opens and in walks a completely different group. They call up yet another victim, this one horribly embarrassed and the blush on their cheeks makes it so much better. There's another one in calculus alone and they continue all through his classes. It's insane.

Every other person he sees in the hallway has stickers plastered on their faces and shirts. Most leave the crowns on too.

Right before lunch in English they get paper lunch bags with a single pink heart on the outside. They're _filled_ with candy. Stiles gets a bag filled to the brim where everybody else has maybe a few pieces in theirs. Isaac has _two_ bags he got so much candy. It's another fundraiser; this one is for the entire athletics department. Stiles is trying to figure out who bought him so much fucking candy and decides it was probably a little bit from a few different people. That's the only thing Stiles can think it could be.

They're exclaiming over Stiles' and Isaac's disgusting amount of candy they received compared to the rest of the student body as they safely stow the bags in their lockers on their way to lunch. Stiles grabs a couple pieces before he heads to the cafeteria. He should have known there'd be more.

He walks in and along the wall of windows are two tables covered in vases of roses. It's yet another thing you can order for your sweetheart or buy the day of if they have extras. He ducks his head and makes his way to their table. He plops down next to Derek. If he's honest with himself the day is starting to wear him down. The candy had been awesome and the telegrams throughout his classes had ensured that class really didn't happen. But. Class would have been a good distraction.

He tries and guesses that he fails to keep his face from giving away his emotions. Derek looks over at him to say something and stops with a confused look. He opens his mouth again, probably to ask what’s wrong when someone behind them clears their throat. Stiles turns and finds himself face to face with Mr. Darcy. No, really. Breeches, waistcoat, top hat and all. There's even a name tag that says, "Hello, my name is: Mr. Darcy." The guys asks, "Stiles Stilinski?" really brightly and Stiles can't stop the smile when he feels his ears go pink.

The guy hands him half a dozen roses before he fucking bows and walks away. Stiles takes a minute to look up from the flowers and takes in the rest of the lunch room. This must be the theater kids fundraiser because everyone handing out roses is in costume. There's Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, the couple from The Notebook, one girl looks just like Mandy Moore in A Walk to Remember, theres Cinderella and Belle and a whole bunch of Prince Charming's roaming the lunch hall bestowing flowers on people.

Stiles is sufficiently distracted now though. The balloon was one thing. That huge bag of candy was from lots of people he guessed. But flowers? Roses no less? He knew who he wanted to have given him flowers though. He spends probably too long admiring the light purple color.

Stiles has spent his fair share of time on Wikipedia. The meanings of flowers and the colors of roses was something he had learned a long time ago when he was deciding what to get his mom for mother's day. So he knows that these lilac roses are meant to say something along the lines of love at first sight.

Dammit he doesn't want to think about this now. He wanted his crush to go either unnoticed or unrequited. He swears Derek is hiding something. He won't let this go. When his mom got sick he spent even more time on the internet researching. He learned everything he could about his mom's illness and a whole fuck ton more. And Derek- all those stupid symptoms and that stupid conversation about secrets just has Stiles more and more convinced.

Derek is sick. That’s all Stiles’ mind can think.

But right now he's not going to think about that. Because if these flowers are from Derek- and the balloon- then he'll have to face these feelings sooner rather than later. And at this point he doesn't know if he'd say yes if Derek asked him out. Because honestly, he lost a lot when he lost his mom and he doesn't want to set himself up for that kind of heartbreak all over again.

But. Right. Not thinking about that. He breathes in the smell of his flowers before he smiles and lays them down on the table next to his lunch. Boyd sits down with a crown on his head and Erica sits down next to him only to have Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid present her with a dozen red roses. She beams and pecks Boyd on the cheek in thanks. Stiles takes in the whole table and realizes that everyone but himself and Erica have gotten telegrams.

That is totally ok with Stiles because Lord knows he would blush until he was as red as a tomato if he had to be serenaded.

"Any thoughts on who's doting on you today Stiles?" Scott calls from the other end of the table.

"I have some ideas," he calls back smirking at his friend.

Lunch passes without incident. Mrs. Dahl’s classroom is near chaos when he gets there. The kids are all running to and fro between the Valentine’s Day boxes. Stiles gets pulled into prep for the cookie decorating as Mrs. Dahl calms the class back down. The kids finish handing out their valentines and candy and are settled at their desks coloring by the time Stiles can hand out his own cards. He sneaks Genevieve her extra one and one for Mrs. Dahl.

Decorating the sugar cookies goes about as well as to be expected. By the time they’re done most of the kids have frosting on their clothes or in their hair. The cookies were delicious and almost worth the mess Stiles is left with as the class moves on.

He still manages to leave the classroom with a smile though as he heads to his next class. It’s not until gym that things go from good to….better? worse? He can’t tell. Mainly because there’s a group of singers coming into the gym and the game is stopped and they’re calling his name.

He stumbles over to the stool and sits down already flushed and embarrassed. He hides his face in his hands the entire first song. The second one he keeps his head up and gets plastered with stickers and an actual _real_ flower crown gets put on his head. He’s been avoiding eye contact but loses that battle when he hears Scott sniggering.

He looks over and Derek is standing tall with his arms crossed in front of his chest and Scott is trying to hide his laughter behind Derek’s shoulder. Boyd looks bored. Derek though, he’s got this look on his face that Stiles just doesn’t understand. Something like excited determination and that just feeds into Stiles feelings on the day and his suspicions for who spent money on him.

His face is still hot when he gets off the stool and walks back into the crowd of people that make up the rest of the class. He glares playfully at Derek and Scott loses it again. Class is pretty much over at that point and everyone heads to the locker rooms. It’s not until after he’s grabbed his bag and is walking out that Derek stops him with a hand on his elbow that Stiles realizes he’s sunk into his own head for a while.

He looks down and he hadn’t bothered to change; just grabbed his bag and was leaving before Derek stopped him. He looks concerned and Stiles feels like a jerk. He should be on cloud nine for all the gifts he was given today. It should make him ridiculously happy that Derek likes him enough to get him all these Valentines gifts.

It’s just-as he sat there wishing he could just enjoy the serenading all he could think about was his confusion and uncertainty and he thought for a brief moment, “I’ll just ask mom.” And that overwhelming remembering that she’s gone just wiped out all the good from the day and there was nothing Stiles could do to stop it.

But Derek’s worried and he probably thinks Stiles is upset about something he did or something crazy like that.

“Hey are you ok?”

Stiles tries to fake a smile, “Yeah, man. It’s just this day-“

“Fuck it was too much wasn’t it.” Derek looks so upset its actually kind of heartbreaking. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. God I’m such an ass. You were so uncomfortable with the singing thing. Shit I’m-“

God this is not good. He has to stop him.

“Derek no, stop. It wasn’t that it’s just this day-“

“It’s so fake I know. I wasn’t making fun of you I swear it was all real-“

“DEREK it’s my mom’s birthday Sunday and it’s the second one without her here and that’s why today sucks. Nothing to do with you ok?” He says all in a rush before Derek can interrupt with more nonsense. Also it was a higher probability that he’d get it all out if he just blurted it.

Derek, to his credit, stops his tirade, looks so crestfallen and sad before Stiles can’t see his face anymore because he’s being pulled into Derek’s chest. He grips the back of Derek’s t-shirt and lets his face get pressed into Derek’s neck in a crushing hug. They stand there until Stiles can breathe easy again and Derek walks him to his car.

He doesn’t make Stiles talk about it.

“You ok to drive?” he asks when they get to the Jeep.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thank you Derek. For today I mean. It wasn’t too much and I didn’t think you were being fake. I wish I hadn’t missed out on buying stuff for you but I do have a valentine for you.”

He reaches into the Jeep and pulls out the card and the mini cake he’d made for Derek and then turns to hand it to him. He shrugs a shoulder after he passes it over.

“It’s carrot. I know it’s your favorite.”

Derek just nods, looking slightly awestruck.

“Thanks for the hug. If I don’t answer my phone this weekend I, uh, guess you know why now.”

He crawls in the jeep and rolls the window down when Derek prompts him to.

“I’ll see you Monday ok?”

“Sounds good, Derek. See ya Monday.”

He makes it home ok and puts the candy away in his desk, ties the balloon to the kitchen sink for his dad to see, the roses in a vase and puts the (honest to God those are real flowers) flower crown on his desk so it doesn’t get squashed. If he curls up in bed then and there who’s to say he can’t.

By Sunday his phone is dead. His dad is at work for the whole day. He gets up and eats breakfast- well. He eats some toast before he shuffles back up to his bed to hug his body pillow. He’s lost in memories and doesn’t hear the front door open. He doesn’t register the sound of someone climbing the stairs. He barely even reacts when someone crawls on the bed with him and takes the pillow from his clutches.

He only told Derek what today was. And when his face gets pressed into a strong chest his first breath in he smells the forest smell and aftershave that Derek smells like. He kind of clings to Derek but Derek holds him back just as tightly. He tries to hold in the tears but just can’t anymore.

“I just miss her. I miss her so, so much Derek,” he whispers before he breaks down.

Derek doesn’t leave. Doesn’t offer empty words or apologies. He just holds on and runs a hand soothingly up and down Stiles back until he falls asleep. Stiles wakes up sometime later and finds himself on top of Derek. He’s had daydreams like this. Somehow they always involved waking up with mutual boners.

He sighs as no such development will be happening this particular time. Derek is still asleep so Stiles just leans up and grabs a tissue to blow his nose and wipe his face. He lays back down next to Derek on his back and just lets himself feel numb.

The second time Stiles has to blow his nose Derek wakes up. They both roll onto their sides so they’re facing each other. Derek doesn’t look like he wants to break the silence and Stiles doesn’t know what to say.

“You’re kind of amazing, dude.”

Ok maybe his brain will just go on without him.

“Thank you for being here, I never would have been able to ask for this.”

Derek just nods. There is no big confession of feelings. There isn’t even that much awkwardness. They go downstairs and get some food. Derek sits with him and they watch a movie before he goes home.

Stiles figures Derek was going to ask him out on Valentine’s Day and Stiles had ruined that. Instead of fucking off and being mad that his plans were ruined Derek had come and sat with him and let him cry and damn it he was perfect. Why did he feel like he wasn’t supposed to date this guy? He doesn’t understand this gut feeling and he so desperately wants to ignore it.

***

Derek is so fucking excited. Scott hasn’t seen him this enthusiastically excited about anything in years. It’s borderline sickeningly sweet. For some reason Derek hadn’t asked Stiles out on Valentine’s Day like the plan was so here they were a week later and the plan was in motion once again. Stiles was walking to his jeep and Derek was with him. Any minute now Derek would horribly fail to be casual and ask Stiles out on a real date and to be his boyfriend.

Scott was ridiculously excited for his friends. He’d seen Derek’s attraction from the beginning. They were drawn to each other like a fairy tale. Horribly cliché and everything. They’ve all been waiting for this to happen. Just waiting for Derek to be ready to do this. It’s a goddamn miracle that it is happening now and not even later in the school year but whatever.

Scott tunes back in to what’s happening and moves around so he can see Derek’s face. See Derek’s reaction and watch him say the words. He’s going to be sneaky of course. Derek doesn’t see him but Scott watches him ask Stiles out. He can hear him get out the wobbly, “Can we go on a date sometime?”

Now all that has to happen is Stiles will say yes and they’ll ride off into the sunset together forever.

“I can’t. I just- I can’t Derek.”

The fuck.

That is not the right answer and Derek looks _ruined_. Scott watches him stumble back when Stiles gets into the jeep and drives off. Scott goes to make his way over to see if Derek’s ok but the guy just has a blank look on his face and walks straight to his car and peels out of the parking lot.

*

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe :) 
> 
> Note: Take away the flowers at lunch and the random balloons in the hallways and you have exactly what happens in my old high school on Valentines day. The roses are for Mother's Day in real life. 
> 
> Chapter 2 is now updated/edited.


	3. Speeches, Tears, and Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a game changer, folks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends. To reiterate I don't have anybody to read any of my stories before they get posted. Your feedback is awesome and it pointed out that this chapter is pretty different and it is. 
> 
> So fair warning this chapter isn't the happiest of chapters and the characters have their secrets taken away so they are ~~a little~~ different because of that I guess? 
> 
> But know that chapter 4 isn't nearly as much of a downer. It's pretty fluffy tbh.

Derek drives home from the school in a haze. He realizes, when he puts the Camaro in park, that he doesn't remember much of the drive and half recognizes the problem with that. He just, really doesn't care though. He leaves his backpack in the car and shuffles towards his house.

His chest _aches_. He feels heartbroken so it's appropriate.

He was going to tell Stiles what he is and was going to explain the pack. How much Stiles means to Derek; how much Derek doesn't ever want to let him go.

Instead it all went to shit and the weirdest part about it was that Stiles didn't act like he wanted to say no. The emotions Derek could smell on him gave Derek the impression that Stiles just wanted to say yes. That he wanted to be with Derek.

Derek just can’t understand why Stiles would say no.

Did he figure out what Derek and his family are?

Stiles is smart enough to do it and Derek was almost sure that Stiles already knew.

What if Stiles does know and that's why he doesn't want to date him? What if he's disgusted with Derek? What if he thinks they're all monsters?

Stiles is his best friend. Derek hasn’t had a best friend since maybe Boyd in middle school but that's what Stiles has become. Even if Derek didn't want to date Stiles he still would want to keep him in his life forever.

He would still have told him about himself and his true nature eventually.

He's so confused and lost in his thoughts he drags himself into his house, past his family and into his room. He doesn't truly come back to the present until he feels his mom combing her fingers through his hair while he lays with his head in her lap on his bed. She's humming softly and Derek wonders how long they've been sitting there.

"Back with me, pup?" she asks gently, her hands continuing their ministrations.

Derek nods.

"Are you hurt?"

"No,” he tries but even _he_ hears his heart skip with the lie.

He feels her tense like she's going to start checking for healing wounds so he elaborates.

"My heart _hurts_ mom."

"Stiles?"

He nods.

"You told him?"

"Didn't get that far. He-" Derek sighs. "I don't even know what happened but he kept saying he couldn't do it if I was going to keep something from him. I just, got lost after he said we couldn't be more than friends."

Derek shifts so his head isn't in his mom's lap and curls himself around his pillow. Lost in his thoughts again and the growing pain behind his ribs he hardly registers his mom leaving.

He jerks when he hears a car door slam. A few moments later, the doorbell rings. Nobody in the family uses the doorbell and nobody really visits randomly in the middle of the week.

The only person who always rings the doorbell is-

"Hi, Talia."

Fuck shit damn. Why is Stiles here?

"I um, I did something stupid and my dad confirmed that it was a pretty jerk-y thing to do and-"

Oh he needed confirmation on that fact?

"-I didn't mean to hurt Derek but I know I did."

Damn right, asshole.

"I still maintain my reasoning to be sound; but selfish and ever since-"

Selfish? Derek leaves the pillow on the bed and starts to make his way down the stairs to listen better.

"When he- this is going to sound stupid I understand- it’s just- I don't know how to explain it-"

Wow, Stiles at a loss for words. Has hell frozen over? Derek waits at the bottom of the stairs, listening and trying to decide if he’s going to leave his hiding spot.

"It just feels like there's an elephant sitting on my chest and I can't get a full breath in because it just freaking hurts while it simultaneously feels like pins being shoved into my heart and it's overwhelming and it got worse the closer I got and it’s getting worse now again-"

Derek can smell a spike in pain and he rushes into the room and sees Stiles leaning against the doorframe while his mother simply watches. And he kind of wants to be grateful for her standing up for him, in a way, against how Stiles treated him but it’s weird because his mom should want to help Stiles stop hurting.

Derek does.

He doesn't notice it until he's right behind his mom but the pain he'd been feeling has intensified too. Stiles finally sees him and actually gasps from whatever pain goes through him.

"Derek, Derek I'm sorry. I don't know what the hell is going on right now with this pain thing but I'm sorry ok? I just- I know there's something important you haven't told me. Can you just tell me please so we can at least get back to being best friends. That's what you are Derek. We never talk about it but I never had a best friend that wasn't my mom but you _are_ and I don't want to lose you too."

Derek looks to his mom who just nods, giving permission. He returns it before he looks back to Stiles. It’s like the pain goes to the back of his mind and he’s completely focused. This isn’t how he wanted to tell Stiles but it will have to do. Hopefully he doesn’t freak out. Derek just really needs Stiles to believe him.

"Have you ever heard of lycanthropy?"

Stiles face screws up in what Derek hopes is confusion not disgust.

"Lycanthropy? That's not a disease."

Uh, disease? What's been going through his mind? Does Stiles think he is sick or something?

"Disease? Why would you think I have a disease?"

Derek questions but Stiles is shaking his head and muttering to himself more than anything when he says, "Werewolves, that's the big secret. That makes so much sense. So wait, you're not sick too?"

" _Too_?"

What the ever loving fuck is going on.

"Uh."

"One revelation at a time boys."

His mom gets their attention before she calmly turns to Stiles.

"Stiles, what do you know about werewolves?"

He shrugs one shoulder when he stands up straight from where he'd been leaning against the door still slightly hunched into himself.

"Stories, mostly. My mom told me stories about them growing up. Werewolves were just like humans. How they were better people than _people_ sometimes. How they had better control of their basic animal urges than humans because for 'wolves it's in their nature to be in control whereas humans hardly acknowledge their base instincts existence. How they had a stronger sense of family because of their pack bonds. How they heal most wounds and can't get sick. Oddly ironic given what I thought was going on."

Okay that's, like, scary accurate. There's a shit ton more to know but those are like, really important basics to understand.

"Why did you think I was sick?"

"I don't know it was just. You were secretive about some things. You miss so much class dude. And when you come back you look awful. And then you never talk about what was causing it so it wasn’t big of a leap for my brain to think ‘sickness’ when you looked _sick._ "

Derek actually can partially understand that. He watches his mom explain the basics of the shift and the pull of the moon and the beginnings of a longer speech Derek had seen given to his Uncle Mark's fiancée.

But he's lost in the haze of his own thoughts again because what did Stiles mean sick _too_? How long has he been sick? It would have to be something long term and just not good because his scent hasn't changed since they've known each other. It’s just. It has to be bad if Stiles was thinking- what was he-

"What were you thinking was going on?"

He cuts into his mother’s speech and walks over to stand right in front of Stiles so he can't get away. Stiles’ eyes are wide like he’s feeling trapped but Derek doesn’t care. He is confused and he wants answers.

"I- I thought you were sick. And I didn't want us to end up recreating The Fault in our Stars or something. I just, I couldn't date you knowing what I know because I'm pretty sure I'd fall in love with you if we did that and I didn't want to hurt you because- because I'm dying and I- whoa where did your eyebrows go? And your eyes, Derek-"

Emotions can control the shift and Derek is _terrified_. Has to be that, because Stiles just calmly said 1) he'd fall in love with Derek if they dated and 2) he's dying. Those two things just should not be allowed to be put together. Ever. Ever ever. He lunges to grab Stiles but his mom easily catches him around the waist before he even makes a step. Stiles hardly flinches like he knew Derek's intentions. He pulls the wolf back from his beta shift and feels his features recede back to his human face.

"So that was cool."

He feels more than sees his mom give Stiles an admonishing look.

“You’re dying?” Derek chokes out and Stiles sobers immediately. He hunches into himself even more and his voice is soft and mildly afraid.

"Derek I- it's going to take a bit of explanation and I will come right out and say that I’ll probably cry. So, before I start can I just please ask a couple more werewolf questions?"

"That's a fair trade, Stiles. Come on boys, come sit down."

Derek's mother leads them into the living room that the family has thankfully vacated. It's only when Stiles is right next to him that the pain in his chest comes back into things Derek is thinking about and acknowledging. He shares a look with Stiles and gets the impression from the grimace, that Stiles is experiencing the same thing.

They make their way to the couches and Stiles and Derek sit next to each other. Kind of. There's 500% more space between them then there usually is but they _are_ on the same piece of furniture. Talia sits across from them in an armchair.

"Mom, what is going on right now?" Derek asks as he rubs a hand across his chest.

"It’s kind of hard to explain," she says reluctantly, like she doesn't want to try and explain this whole thing. "It’s sort of a vague subject and there's so much misconception about it that it's almost not worth even bringing up but it seems it's unavoidable now. You know how in movies and romance novels and rare successful marriages the couples are high school sweethearts? Or college sweethearts? The two people who were childhood friends, maybe drifted apart, maybe didn't. But either way they got together and they are each other's one and only. How rarely that happens in real life, people finding their soul mate. For werewolves it's no different. It's rarer still because we're a minority in the population. Not that anyone knows that or-"

"Mom, stay on point."

"Right, so soul mates. Each other's one and only. Werewolves, as I briefly mentioned Stiles, have keener senses compared to humans. We feel and see and smell things differently. It makes relationships, any relationship whether it's familial, platonic or romantic, we have stronger connections to those people. So when a wolf finds their soul mate, someone who they inherently connect with emotionally and personally that connection is stronger. I think- I think you boys have been strengthening that link since you met. And when Stiles tried to get you to stay away to protect you, I think that's what I understand, the uh, motive didn't matter it was just so against how you feel for each other that it manifests in, well, heartache."

Derek sits with his hands loose in his lap; his claws easing in and out while he fights for control over his shift.

"So what I'm gathering from this conversation so far is: Stiles is apparently my soul mate, as evidenced by our overly strong and sensitive connection to each other and our actions. As well as, he is dying. That’s great, really just. That's-"

_Fucking perfect. Their fucking lives._

Derek's halfway to shifting completely as that sinks in some more when Stiles slides over and grabs his hand to interlace their fingers, claws and all. Derek retracts them so he can tighten his grip on Stiles’ hand. His mother doesn't really respond to his conclusions.

"So, your questions, Stiles. The most pressing ones, please, because both of us would very much like to know the details and the certainty of you dying."

Just like mom to be straight forward and demanding.

"Yeah, ok. So the chest thing was actually question number one. So question two would be, um, who gets to be a werewolf?"

"Most packs are made of born wolves or humans. Lycanthropy isn't so much hereditary as it is a genetic predisposition. It's like diabetes or heart disease, not everyone inherits the gene but majority do. Alphas, like myself, our bites have the ability to turn humans. Biting someone is very- it's not something that's taken lightly. That connection between alpha and beta is incredibly intense. The person who gets bit- it needs to be the right circumstances. They need to fit with the pack, honor the alpha, their personality, their standards, their morals and what they believe in are all a part of the decision. It's incredibly intimate to bite someone. It's not something that is done rashly. It's not like we go around biting every car crash victim or terminal cancer patient."

Derek heard Stiles heart stutter and Derek's grip on Stiles gets tighter. He watches his mom’s face soften as she stops her speech.

"Is that it, Stiles?"

He nods, timidly.

"Can you tell us about it?"

He sounds small when he says, "Yeah. Um, can I just- could you come sit over here with us? I um, I haven’t had to have this conversation without my dad and I need both a parental figure and I can’t- I can’t look at anybody otherwise I won’t get it all out.”

Derek lets Stiles take his hand back and watches as he wraps his arms around himself and steel himself for the conversation. He’s tense and miserable and Derek wishes none of this was happening.

Then, what he thought was a bad day moves more towards being a clusterfuck of a day.

His mom sits on the couch on the other side of Stiles. She puts an arm behind him on the couch like she wants to touch him and comfort him but doesn’t know how to read the situation yet. Stiles takes a deep breath and starts.

“When I was eight my parents watched as I got lethargic, lost weight, and I kept getting sick all the time. They took me to the doctors who ran tests, so many tests. They looked for the normal stuff but everything came back either negative or inconclusive. Finally they tested the right thing though and found out that I had leukemia. I remember the diagnosis doctor’s appointment the most because my dad cried. My dad- dad doesn’t cry.”

“They were optimistic though and started chemo therapy. It worked. But not until I was almost 10. We had a few good years then. We didn’t notice anything was going wrong until I was a freshman in high school. My uh, my mom, she had frontal temporal dementia. Basically, it means that over the next 2 years my dad and I watched her fade slowly away until she couldn’t remember us and beyond that. It- it’s actually the only type of dementia that can develop in teenagers. After she- after she died dad had me tested.”

“They did a couple different tests at his request to make sure that I was healthy and going to stay that way only, only they found the cancer again. My last appointment before we left to move here we were told they weren’t very optimistic and that chemo and radiation, well, neither would help. So we decided I would try and get through high school before I would just spend whatever was left of my life with my dad. We didn’t- he took it better than I could have hoped. He didn’t want me to waste away when it wouldn’t help and I just, I didn’t have it in me to fight that fight again.”

Derek doesn't resize he's crying until Stiles is turned and has his hands on Derek's face gently wiping away tears with his thumbs. He'd be embarrassed but- how could Stiles not want to fight?

"Derek, hey." he soothes.

 _He_ soothes. It should be Derek consoling Stiles not the other way around. Stiles shifts so he's kneeling facing Derek and keeps a hold of his face. He sits back on his heels and continues.

"Before all I had to fight for was my dad and he didn't want his kid to live a miserable existence for the- just to clarify, we're not talking even 40% chance of survival, ok? I'm at like a 5% chance ok? And Chemo sucks, dude."

He sounds so disgruntled like he's talking about derivatives in calculus and not his _life_ and the fact that it's ending. Derek can't help the huff that escapes him regardless.

"I wanted to live normally for however long I had. Not holed up in a hospital to waste away exactly like my mom. I, I couldn't do that to my dad. I couldn't put him through that again, you know? But- Derek, it's different now. I- we moved here and I expected to just keep my head down and be a nobody like I always have been at school. And then I actually get here and I meet Scott and you and everybody else and- I have friends."

He let's go of Derek's face and pokes Derek in the chest with a small smile.

"I got a best friend and you have to believe me when I say that this is not something I've had before. I know I keep saying that but seriously. I had nobody. And now I have a whole family of people who actually talk to me and want to spend time with me and I- I hesitated at first because how could I do that to you all? How could I let you befriend me and then die and leave you all."

He's getting more and more distressed and sits wringing his hands.

"That's most of why I panicked when you were asking me out today because. Because when my mom died she took a little bit of my heart with her and I didn't want that for you. I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn't want to say yes and then leave you. I couldn't, _Derek,_ I couldn't."

Stiles kind of falls into Derek's chest and breaks down. Derek just rests his chin on top of Stiles head and hugs him back as tight as he can and lets him cry. It's just. This is all too damn much for Derek and he can't imagine what Stiles is feeling. Why is this happening? Derek just wants to make it stop hurting and he can't. His mom lets them sit there for a while until Stiles’ sobs have subsided. When Stiles sits up his mom gets up and holds her hand out in front of Stiles.

"Can you come with me Stiles? Derek, I need you to stay here."

Derek's numb enough that in the moment he doesn't even think to argue and just nods. Stiles wipes at his face once before he gets up and walks away with Derek’s mom.

The passage of time gets a little blurry after that for Derek. He gets lost in thought once again and lets himself stay there. He knows Cora comes down and curls up next to him because he can smell the fresh tears running down her cheeks. After that Genevieve climbs into his lap with Mr. Bear and her blankie which she carefully spreads over the three of them. Then Tommy is there on the floor leaning against Derek’s legs and Laura shows up at one point too.

She's at Derek's side when they hear the front door open and their dad lets the sheriff in and leads him back to the study where, Derek presumes, Stiles is with his mother. He doesn't even try to eavesdrop; he'll know soon enough what they're discussing. He just basks in the comfort of his siblings and waits.

After about an hour Stiles, John and Derek's parents all come back to the living room where all the Hale children are curled together on the couch. Stiles looks around for a spot to sit as Derek hands Vieve to Laura and grabs his hand. He pulls Stiles into his lap and instead of the misery that Stiles smelled like when he left, now, now he smells hopeful. Genevieve crawls right back out of Laura's arms and into Stiles'. He accepts Mr. Bear and holds her tight.

Derek looks up to see the adults watching with small smiles. His dad looks like he wants to laugh but knows better. Everybody looks to the alpha to explain what is going on. Talia clears her throat and the adults all sit down for the duration of the conversation.

"It's fairly clear to see why we're having this impromptu meeting. For those who weren't eves dropping, Stiles is very sick. He is also very important to Derek. Given his involvement and inclusion in this pack, I will continue to discuss the specifics with Stiles over the next few weeks, but it is my intention to offer Stiles the bite. On the condition that the pack agrees to this addition. The other condition will be that Stiles needs to graduate high school. It will be better to train and induct him into the pack if we don't have people coming in and out to go to school. The more uninterrupted time together will help his adjustment. We'll be talking about this a lot over this weekend and the coming weeks but for right now I think the sheriff would like to take Stiles home."

Derek reluctantly lets Stiles get up. He is quick to stand as well and pulls Stiles back into a hug. He's confused how he can be so excited and terrified at the same time. Stiles hugs his parents before he leaves with his dad. Before Derek can escape to his room he's wrapped up between his parents and then his siblings are all there and his terror is ebbing away the longer they stand together to support him.

As reassuring as the hug was, as soon as they let him go he shuts himself into his room and researches everything he can find on leukemia and other blood related cancers. After thoroughly freaking himself out he flops back on his bed to try and sleep.

It’s no surprise when he can't.  After midnight when he's just lying there staring at the ceiling waffling between worry and excitement his phone buzzes. He squints at the bright screen and reads the text from Stiles. 

**PSA: we're dating. As long as that's something you want. <<**

Derek’s nervous energy threatens to escape through hysterical laughter. He manages to contain it, not wanting to wake anyone up.  

**There's no one else I'd rather have >>**

Stiles sends him a blurry selfie but the fond smile is there and Derek drops into sleep right after. 

He wakes up and his room is bright with early morning sunlight. He eases out of that early morning fog and realizes someone's in his room. He turns over and props himself up on bent arms to see Stiles spinning around in his desk chair. It really shouldn't be a surprise to see him there; they had plans to hang out today before everything blew up yesterday.

"I see you freaked yourself out even more after I left," he says pointing to the laptop.

Derek flops back on the bed as Stiles gets up and walks over to him. Stiles sits on the edge of the bed and peers over his shoulder to look at Derek. Derek just yanks him down to lay next to him. They lay on their backs next to each other and Stiles unpredictably breaks the silence. 

"Do you have any questions?"

Only about a million. Derek reaches out and grabs Stiles’ hand. 

"Yeah, but we can do that later. Why are you here so early?"

"Your mom said she had more to talk about and I have about a thousand more questions for her. But I wanted to come in and say good morning before we have to close ourselves in her office. We're writing up an agreement and my dad is coming over later today to sign it too." 

That sounds like something his mom would set up. He hears his mom in the kitchen moving dishes and banging pots before she asks them to come down for breakfast. 

"Mom wants us for breakfast."

Stiles looks confused. 

"What- oh you can hear her."

Stiles hauls himself up off the bed and Derek rolls over and snags his arm. He pulls himself up so he's kneeling on the bed in front of Stiles and reaches out to hold onto both Stiles’ hands. 

"I guess I do have one question. Can you-"

This is heavy for right away in the morning but it's something he hasn't been able to stop thinking about. He can't even bring himself to look Stiles and settles on staring at their hands.

"I need you to fight Stiles. Can you promise you'll fight, please?" he asks quietly.

He's begging and he doesn't care because Stiles just nods and pulls him into a hug. 

"I promise Derek. I promise to fight to stay healthy until I graduate.” 

They stay like that for a minute before they go down for breakfast. His mom has French toast, eggs, and sausage ready and waiting by the time they get down to the kitchen. They talk about what they'll be discussing in the office and Derek has no desire to sit through that talk. His mom is pretty good at following Stiles’ questions and is the best person Derek knows who could probably answer all of his most random ones. Or tell him who he could get the answers from.

Stiles ends up in the office with his mom for most of the morning. He walks past every now and again and can overhear Stiles asking questions. To his surprise they’re mostly human things he overhears. By noon John Stilinski has come over and is in the study with them as well.

Derek can’t help but want to listen in but his mother opens the door, smirks and tells him to go to his room. He huffs and sulks back to his bedroom to collapse on his bed. Then he realizes he’s hungry and mopes down to the kitchen for food. He pulls all the fixings out of the fridge, makes a couple sandwiches and stands leaning against the counter eating when they all emerge from the study a little while later.

He doesn’t even think before the words are out of his mouth.

“So can I have my boyfriend now? Or do you have more to discuss?”

Stiles jaw goes slack a little and John and his mother just chuckle at what has to be the shock on his face. He quickly schools his expression back to questioning.

“Yes, dear, you may have Stiles back now. But at least let him eat first.”

“No need,” Derek shakes his head and starts walking towards Stiles and the stairs, “I have a sandwich all made up and ready for him.”

Luckily, Stiles just turns and follows without so much as a laugh. But when Derek turns around to close the door to his room behind them both he catches sight of Stiles’ grin.

They end up sitting on his bed across from each other munching on their meal. Derek is wavering between wanting to start blurting questions but he also wants to lighten the mood with a joke or something. Stiles solves the problem for him though he just sighs lightly and gives Derek the out he needed.

“Ask what you want to ask Derek.”

“What are the- what did I miss? Why didn’t I know?”

Stiles sighs even bigger and puts his sandwich back on the plate.

“You didn’t miss anything I’m just good at hiding things I guess. On Halloween I told you I don’t hold heat easy and that’s true but it’s worse because I lost some weight. I’m not- I didn’t have much to lose to begin with. I mean, you did miss the fact that I miss a lot of class. Sometimes I get headaches or no matter how much I sleep I seem to still be tired constantly. It’s not like you missed a tumor growing off the side of my head or anything. They’re pretty subtle and can be mistaken for normal human life.”

Derek still feels like an ass for not noticing.

“And why did you think I was sick?”

Stiles actually looks kind of sheepish.

“Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.”

“Come again?”

“It’s like you learn something new and it’s something rare or unique and then you start seeing it everywhere. I just- when my mom got sick I spent a lot of time researching things. I learned about her type of dementia. I learned about _all_ the types of dementia, actually. And when that got too depressing I moved on to other illnesses or disorders in the brain and then that stemmed to nervous system issues and then that fed into reading through medical journals and textbooks.”

“It was pretty traumatizing, to be honest and my dad ended up needing to take them all away so I could stop researching for a while completely. I just went back to being a teenager and spending time with a mom who barely remembered me. I just- you were gone so much. And you would come back and be sickly looking. And it happened too frequently to be anything good and then like once a month, the full moon I now realize, you’d get real twitchy and bodyguard-ish. I just didn’t know what was going on and I never really accounted for the supernatural being real. Ergo, assumption of illness.”

Derek can follow all of that easily, but when Stiles asks, “What _has_ been going on? Why have you really missed so many days?” he just ducks his head and rubs at the back of his neck.

“We uh, don’t actually know. Somehow I keep getting poisoned with wolfsbane. We don’t know who or why or how. We just know how to counter it when it happens.”

Stiles looks more than a little perturbed.

“How do you poison a teenager? Interesting. You’ll have to fill me in on all the details and I’ll work on it too. Dad’s a bit busy right now but I can at least start.”

“Uh, start what?”

“Dude, you don’t think he got the highest case closure rate in his precinct without a little help, did you?” he says with a proud glint in his eye.

“I’ve helped him with a few cases over the years that have stumped him and his old partner. I’ve also been a cop’s kid long enough to know how to start and conduct an investigation. My turn to ask a question.”

Stiles gets this impish look on his face and crawls over to sit pressed _right_ _up_ next to Derek.

“S-sure.”

Stiles rolls his eyes.

“I don’t bite, calm down. I’m just curious to know what to expect dating werewolf.”

“Dating a werewolf or dating me?”

“Both?”

Derek plants his hand on the bed behind Stiles back so he’s leaning right up in Stiles space.

“Well, real wolves have a preoccupation with scent and scent marking. Werewolves don’t really have the same intense importance assigned to scent. It’s nice when things or people smell good or like family and pack. And we use scent for being aware of our surroundings but we don’t feel the need to mark things and territory as much as real wolves. We still do it, it’s just not required for our survival like it often is with wolves. ”

Derek ducks his head into Stiles neck so his breath blows behind his ear and the back of his neck when he says.

“I can smell a lot of things, Stiles.”

He watches the goosebumps pebble on Stiles’ neck and hears him swallow.

“Y-yeah? Like what, big guy?”

Derek drops a small closed mouth kiss right behind Stiles’ ear and pulls back to look at him with a smile.

“Strong emotions. Things like amusement, anger, affection, arousal.”

He watches Stiles’ cheeks pink in embarrassment and Derek doesn’t try to stop his hand from cupping his face and brushing his thumb across Stiles’ cheekbone.

“Nice alliteration.”

Derek smirks at Stiles’ breathy tone and drops his hand.

“I also notice worry and sadness and pain and sickness sometimes. I should have paid better attention, Stiles. I’m sorry I didn’t-“

“Derek.”

Stiles cuts him off but Derek just shakes his head at himself because he _should have known._ He should have noticed something.

“I just thought you were sad about your mom or nervous about a new school. I should have thought about it more. Should have realized. I’ve never been around anyone with cancer long enough to have a memory of what it smells like. I just thought that it was a part of you.”

Stiles just sighs and rests his head on Derek’s shoulder.

“Derek you have to remember I moved here with the goal of living through graduation. That was my _only_ goal. I didn’t plan on making friends; I sure as hell didn’t plan on being a part of a whole new family. I just, some days you guys made me forget. It didn’t occur to me that I might need to tell you until around Thanksgiving time when Dad said something about spending the next year with the McCall’s again that we both realized that A. that wouldn’t happen and B. I hadn’t told any of you. And then it was a battle trying to find the best way to tell you and I never did figure that out.”

“Can we stop talking about you planning on dying quietly shall we? How about we focus on the new plan. What is the new plan?”

Derek shuffles back on the bed so he’s leaning with his back against the headboard. Stiles follows and Derek pulls him right up next to him and wraps an arm around his shoulders.

“In a minute. Finish answering my question.”

Derek rolls his eyes.

“I don’t know, Stiles, the last time I dated someone it didn’t end very well.”

“And I’ve dated no one so we make quite a pair.”

“Well, I haven’t dated anyone openly either so we’re going to have a steep learning curve.”

Stiles quite literally curls up and cuddles Derek, like a cat. Derek is mildly surprised he doesn’t start purring.

“I think we’ll be fine. To answer your question the plan includes a lot of lying to hospital staff and a lot of things I am required to do. Like, eat healthy, do everything possible to stay away from sick people or the possibility of getting sick, I have to go to regular check-ups with the cancer center in the hospital and I have werewolf lessons with your mom at least twice a week.”

“Is she teaching Veive and Tyler at the same time too?”

“Yup. I’m getting taught the basics of lycanthropy with the mini Hales.”

Derek laughs, “You call them the mini Hales?”

“They are though!” Stiles protests. “Genevieve is like a miniature Laura and Tyler looks just like Alex!”

Derek’s still chuckling.

“You really are going to fit right in with this pack.”

*

Stiles is seriously freaking out right now. Derek’s listening to his heart and it’s going crazy fast. He hears Stiles’ breathing go shallower and he’s pulling the car over to the side of the street. They’re driving to Scott’s house to watch the opening games of March Madness with everybody.

Derek and his mom have both insisted that Stiles needs to tell his friends about everything.

He needs to tell them about the leukemia and the plan and what they can do to help Stiles through it all. He’s game for telling them about the first two things Derek knows. Derek is also aware of how much Stiles doesn’t want to ask for help in any of this and wants to just deal by himself.

Before Stiles can really get worked up Derek has the car in park and is coaching him through some deep breaths.

“Stiles, you’re not walking into a lion’s den here. These are your friends. They deserve to know what’s going on. I know-“

“I have been living in denial and avoidance for so long that it’s going to be hard to give that mentality up and go back to constantly thinking about it Derek. Let me freak out that I’ve been keeping a literal life and death secret from my friends and now I’m telling them everything. Okay?”

Derek sighs, really he can’t argue with that.

“Fine. But I’m not going to stand by and let you work yourself into a panic, ok? Be nervous of their reaction, whatever. But don’t give yourself a panic attack, Jesus.”

A brief hurt look flashes across Stiles face and god that was mean. But before Derek can say anything a car honks their horn at them and they both startle. Stiles whips around and then breaks into a fake smile and waves at Lydia who’s behind them in her car.

“Let’s just go get this over with,” he says as he flops back into the seat and Derek dutifully puts the car in drive and finishes the 3 block drive to the McCall house.

Derek watches Stiles put on a mask of false cheer and go into the house where everyone will be waiting. Lydia parks behind them and they all walk in together. Just as Derek thought, everyone is already there and gathered in the living room. The game won’t start for another hour almost and Derek really wants Stiles to just get it over with so he can calm down. He watches Stiles wait for everybody to start sitting down before he’s moving to stand in front of the TV and shut it off. His breathing is staying calm and deep but his heart is still pounding and he’s almost visibly shaking.

“Stiles buddy, what’s up?” Scott asks finally, sounding concerned.

But it just pushes Stiles nerves up a notch because now he _is_ shaking and Derek’s gotta help him.

“Um- I just.”

Nope. Derek isn’t going to watch it happen like this. He walks over to Stiles, stands behind him and wraps his arms around Stiles waist. He ducks his head into Stiles’ shoulder and murmurs, ‘breathe.’ And Stiles just _melts_ back into his embrace.

“Well, first off, this guy decided he wanted to date little old me.”

He hears Stiles say and can just hear his lopsided grin in his tone. Derek looks up to varying expressions from their friends. Mostly it’s just fond exasperation but Lydia looks positively smug.

“And second?” Scott asks and Derek can feel Stiles take a huge breath in and hold it.

“I’m sick,” Stiles blurts because Derek and his mother had put an end to him saying he was dying so flippantly. “Like really sick.”

“Like mono or something?” Jackson asks like he really doesn’t care about this whole thing and Derek has to tamp down on a growl.

“Like leukemia or something.” Stiles snarks back and the room freezes. They don’t shift like Derek did but Scott’s eyes are glowing and so are Isaac’s. Stiles must close his eyes when he sighs because he doesn’t notice their slip in control at all.

“So yeah. I have leukemia and I’ve known about it since before I moved here and –“

“Derek, did you guys tell your mom? Come on we have to go to your alpha. She’ll fix this.”

Stiles stops short. Derek probably could have mentioned-

“You know about werewolves too?”

Scott rolls his eyes- correction _everyone_ rolls their eyes and most of the people in the room shift their eyes and faces. Stiles stiffens in Derek’s arms and grips at Derek’s jeans on his thigh.

“You didn’t think to mention that my entire friend group is all werewolves too?” he asks through clenched teeth.

And Derek feels bad. Really he does it’s just-

“It wasn’t my secret to tell, Stiles.”

Stiles is still tense but Scott just huffs.

“Does it really change much Stiles? Besides the fact we all know just how much you and Derek have wanted each other to the point where we all just had to ignore both of your scents to maintain our sanity?”

Derek can feel Stiles blush and watches it creep down from his ears to the back of his neck.

“Okay, fine it doesn’t change much but it still could have been a part of the big explanation. Is Talia your alpha then too?”

Good this is good. Getting the conversation away from Stiles for a little while should help calm him down. Derek takes this as a sign he can back off and pulls away from his hold on Stiles. Scott tries to find the right way to explain everything.

Derek gets them both to the couch so he can keep ahold of Stiles but not have to be an active part of the conversation.

The story is not one Derek likes to revisit at all if he can help it.

Talia's youngest brother was more like a cool older brother or cousin to Derek. It wasn't that Derek and Alex didn't get along growing up, Peter was just cooler. He had a beautiful wife that was really fun and they got pregnant the summer before Derek started ninth grade.

Around the time school started so did Derek's biggest mistake. This woman had shown up in town and Derek thought she was amazing. Derek always looked older than he really was and the girl had come up and started talking to him when he'd been in the diner getting pie after school.

Kate was beautiful and smart and a marksman. Turns out she was also a manipulative bitch. After he was strung along for a while he broke down and told Laura and Alex where he'd spent all his free time fall semester.

What made him finally break down was how much she talked about Peter. When it all started she was all about Derek. Their conversations were all about her, her work or Derek and school. It was normal like that. But the more time passed the more often she’d bring up other family members that Derek didn’t remember telling her about. Especially Peter. He talked about his family like he would with anyone. He never told her or really even thought about telling her what he was. It didn’t seem important. By Christmas he realized he didn’t really love her and he was starting not to even like her anymore. Like the more time he spent with her the more occasions he saw her true character shine through.

The same thing happened with Stiles. When he met Stiles, Derek was being an ass. Kind of. But Stiles wasn’t defenseless. Everything Derek threw at him Stiles threw right back in Derek’s face. And that first day he saw this sarcastic guy who had, uh, really nice assets. As time passed Derek got to know Stiles and noticed that his quiet, somber exterior was just a shell of the real Stiles.

The way Stiles truly is only came out every so often and Derek tried to hold on to those moments and keep Stiles from clamming up again. He gets now that avoidance and denial of sorts were Stiles’ methods of coping. But at the time Derek was falling for the real Stiles and was frustrated that he couldn’t figure out how to make the façade fall for good.

Kate was the opposite. She was one of those people who acted like a decent human being but then on occasion would voice their true opinions and you’d have to double take like, did she really just say that.

“We should just deport them all.”

“There should be some sort of tracking on those people. Who knows what they’re up to.”

“Oh no, we can’t eat there. The owner is a jerk. And he has a boyfriend.”

“That’s kind of a harsh sentencing. I mean it’s only dog fighting.”

It pushed Derek over the edge when they were walking through town one day and they saw a stray cat. Derek was thinking about coming back later to take the cat to the pound when Kate kicked the animal. He pretty much ended their Christmas shopping date then and there on the pretense that he had a last minute assignment to finish before break. He went back after he knew she was gone and found the cat and took it to the shelter. The next day Alex was coming home from college and the three oldest Hales had a standing date at the diner.

So he told his siblings all about the mystery woman he’d been seeing and how he wanted to stop being with her because she was a terrible person but once they heard how interested she’d been in Derek’s family his siblings had other plans. They convinced him to keep dating her until they could figure out what was up with her fixated curiosity. Meanwhile the older two would look into her. By mid-January of Derek’s freshman year it all blew up. Quite literally.

Apparently Katherine Argent was the older sister of Allison, a girl in Derek’s class. But Kate had grown up with their grandfather Gerard being around where Allison hadn’t and apparently it made all the difference. Where Allison was hard work and kindness, Kate was ruthlessness and scheming. Kate trained under Gerard to continue the family business: hunting werewolves. Allison was also trained with her dad, Chris, so it was without the mind warping ideals of her grandfather.

Derek broke it off but evidently the damage had been done. Somehow she found out where Peter, his wife, Olivia, and their newborn twins lived. She burned the house down around Olivia and the twins while Peter was running errands across town. Derek found out later that Kate had dated Peter for a while and it was all psychotic jealousy that led her to murder and arson.

Of course there was no proof. She wasn’t linked to the fire at all but Derek just knew. He had no proof to give though; it was just circumstantial evidence his mom told him. After he found out she was a hunter and ended things he’d told his parents everything and they’d been taking precautions to keep everyone safe. They hadn’t anticipated Kate trapping Olivia inside with mountain ash around the house and in the flames.

Before the fire department had the flames extinguished Peter was gone and Kate was too.

Derek had blamed himself and ended up pulling away from all his friends for the rest of the school year. It messed him up big time. He and Laura went and lived with Alex in his apartment in Davis for the summer. Getting away from it all and having his mother constantly reassure him that he was not at fault and that he hadn’t actually told her where they lived and he’d told Talia before Kate had had the chance to do anything. She tried to stress that if anything it was her fault as the pack’s alpha. She hadn’t been able to protect them.

It was a rough time in the Hale household.

He came back for school able to forgive himself but he’d lost something in the whole ordeal. He wasn’t as carefree as he used to be. It sobered him and he ‘grew up fast’ because of the family’s loss.

Stiles got the cliff notes version of that part of the story and then the full version of how each of his friends were bitten and turned into werewolves.

It was nearly 9 months after the fire when Scott was out running for cross country training and he was bitten. He had no clue what had bit him or what was happening to him until Derek smelled him in gym class.

A week after that, Isaac was working for his dad in the cemetery and was bit.

Two weeks later, Erica was bit while she waited outside the hospital for her mom to pick her up.

Jackson and Lydia were attacked outside the movie store a few days later. Jackson changed, Lydia didn't.

Another two weeks later and Boyd was bitten as he was locking up the ice rink.

Derek had noticed all of them in school and had to bring them all to his mother. They couldn’t pin down the scent of the alpha on any of them but they had a pretty good idea who was running around biting random teenagers. Three days after Boyd was turned was a full moon. They all got locked up in the Hale’s basement to try and lure the alpha to his new betas.

Much to the shock of no one Peter showed up on the front porch, red alpha eyes glowing bright. Talia couldn’t kill her own brother but ripped him apart badly enough that he retreated all of his own volition.

So sophomore year was a battle to train freshly bitten wolves without their alpha. What made it so difficult is it took until halfway through junior year for them to even begin to like each other and even then it took Stiles being in their lives these past few months to bring them all truly together. The bitten wolves weren’t compelled to fall under the leadership of Talia despite the wisdom she could offer them. They did come to her to learn as much as they could about what they’d all become. But they tended to look to Scott as their leader instead of Talia.

They end up missing the March Madness game entirely.

***

It’s been almost a month since Stiles told his secret to Derek and his mom. It’s been interesting to say the least in the aftermath. Stiles can’t seem to fully grasp Derek’s response. It’s somewhere between wanting to tuck him safely away and make the problem all better and giving time and space for Stiles to adjust. Stiles has had a lot of time to adjust to the idea that he could die from this and he really doesn’t need space from his best friend. Especially when they’re still working on what their budding relationship means to them both.

Stiles is guessing part of the whole “space and time to adjust” thing is that lacrosse is in full swing with practice every day there isn’t a game or isn’t Sunday. And it doesn’t help that with all the AP classes they’re in they have projects and the final tests they’ve all started to prep for. As much as Derek is busy so is Stiles helping their friends through the end of their senior year.

He’s actually pretty proud of himself. His grades haven’t slipped at all even with him tutoring most of his friend group in one class or another. It’s a shame he didn’t take the SAT, or apply to any colleges. He’d probably have gotten in to any place he wanted to. He hasn’t thought past graduation in three years if he ever did in the first place. Too many other things took precedence.

The worst part probably is Stiles still has a hard time believing it’s all going to work. He’s going along with the plan mainly to offer hope to the people around him. His attitude is more, ‘why not?’ and less ‘this will work!’

After the big reveal he’d sat down with his dad and John had admitted to knowing about the existence of the supernatural. The sheriff who retired and whose position John filled had filled him in on the secret. Mainly because the Hale murders were still unsolved. And the previous sheriff had been in the know since the day Talia had been a practicing lawyer. It had been important that whoever they hired as sheriff would be privy to the knowledge. It made all the difference in the world for some cases to know that a supernatural element could be in play.

The healing power the bite offered, however, was a surprise to John. He hadn’t known anything like that was possible and that particular modicum of knowledge has been a great source of hope for Stiles’ dad lately. And Stiles knows just how much his dad’s hopes have been raised now. That sure doesn’t help Stiles at all.

A big part of what Stiles is dealing with now is simply he can’t live in denial anymore. Before, it was a certainty. It was never doubted that the leukemia would kill him. More than likely it would end his life before he even got to graduate high school. It became just something he lived with. It wasn’t something he had to think about often.

Now though it’s all anyone around him wants to talk about and discuss. If he doesn’t have a meeting with Talia he’s at the doctor’s office for a checkup or talking to Derek or The Group. It’s constantly at the forefront of his mind now and it’s getting to be unbearable for Stiles. It’s weighing him down and nothing he does can get himself out of the low place his mind is residing in.

For all the keen senses werewolves are supposed to have he thinks they should be able to sense his reluctance and displeasure every single time someone brings it up.

Maybe they’re just unobservant. After all not everyone is a cop’s kid.

Not everyone gets to say they can go to the police station to have a break from real life and have it be a good thing either.

Stiles has had enough of school and being forced to wait for Derek to finish lacrosse practice to be able to see him and decides he’s going to get something like normal back and go visit his dad at the station. Of course, it doesn’t actually work out.

He gets there and his dad is out on a call. Another body was found with what looks like animal-like slash marks. Stiles has to wonder how long it took his dad to come to the conclusion they’re dealing with a werewolf who’s murdering people and is going to get away with it because of the method of killing.

It isn’t normally a hardship to spend time in the station. He really does love all the people who work for his dad. But now quite literally everyone in town who knows Stiles knows he’s sick. He walks in and plops himself down into the chair by Parrish’s desk. The man doesn’t even look up from his paper work when he starts talking.

“Stiles. How are you-“

Stiles glares at him.

“If you end that question with ‘feeling’ I will punch you in the face Deputy Parrish.”

“-doing in school now?”

“Good save. School is fine. We’re working on getting ready for the AP tests. So lots of repetitive work.”

Stiles is so sick of being asked how he is he doesn’t even care about telling people to knock it off anymore. Getting Derek to calm down, though, is going to be a challenge in and of itself.

“Your dad should be back soon.”

“Yeah, Gladys said he went out on a call for another body they found?”

“She’s not supposed to tell you that but yeah it looks like the first two.”

“Now we can find a pattern, kid.”

Stiles turns around to look at his dad and to see him for the first time in nearly a week. His dad takes one look at Stiles’ expression and changes his approach.

“Come to my office, Stiles.”

Stiles gets up with a salute to Parrish and follows his dad into the office. But his dad doesn’t go to the desk, he closes the door behind Stiles, grabs him and pulls them onto the couch that’s off to the side where no one can see them. As they sit down, John pulls Stiles to sit right next to him. He pulls his knees up to his chest and his dad wraps both arms around him to hold him.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been home this week.”

“You have to work dad, I’m not upset with you.”

“But you are upset, I can see it. I know your poker face, Stiles. Is it one of your friends? A teacher? Derek? What?”

Stiles can’t look at his father’s face; he picks at the hem of his jeans.

“No, no I’m not mad at somebody it’s just-“

“What?” his dad prompts gently when Stiles doesn’t say anything for a full minute.

“Denial was working out pretty well for my emotional wellbeing.”

“And now it’s all anyone wants to talk about." 

His dad sighs as he tries to think of what to say. They sit there for a few moments together until Stiles is breathing a little steadier.

"I understand, bud. Kind of. Want to go over this case now? See if we can find a pattern between the three victims?”

His dad just holds him a little tighter until Stiles nods. They get up off the couch and go over to John’s desk where the files are all laid out. The first person who was found had a pretty extensive criminal record so John takes that file and Stiles takes the other two. They toss ideas back and forth for a while before Stiles finds something.

“Here’s something. Lisa, the latest victim, she was at The Pickled Parrot bar the day after we found the first body. And the middle guy, Sean, he doesn’t have any charges there but he does have an ATM withdrawal from the ATM right next door on the same night around the same time. How much you wanna bet they were there together?”

His dad just smiles at him fond and proud before he yells for Parrish.

“Yeah, boss?”

“They call you boss?”

“Parrish go down to this bar the-“

“Pickled Parrot.”

“Yeah that one. Go down there with pictures of all three victims and see if any of the staff recognize any of them. Place like that has to have regular customers.”

“Will do, sir.”

“Good lead, Stiles. You gonna stick around or head home?”

“I might go over to Mrs. Jeska’s for a little bit. Someone who doesn’t know all about werewolves and cancer and everything.”

His dad’s face softens a little and Stiles sighs.

“You told her I’m sick, didn’t you.”

“I thought we were telling people! I’m sure if you ask her not to talk about it she might keep her mothering to a minimum.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. But I haven’t been over in close to a month so I’ll go there first and then I’ll be home.”

“Sounds good, kid.”

His dad pulls him into a crushing hug.

“I love you a lot you know that right?”

Stiles voice is muffled in his dad’s chest.

“Yeah, I love you too dad.”

Parrish is gone by the time Stiles is leaving as well so he just makes his way out to the jeep and heads for his house. The drive helps him prepare for Mrs. Jeska and he’s home soon enough and parking the jeep. He walks right over to her house and lets himself in calling out for her. She pops her head out of the kitchen as he walks up.

“Oh, Przemysław. Where is my smile? Are you feeling unwell?”

He sighs and lets her pull him down into a chair in the kitchen.

“I’m fine, just stressed out a little is all I guess.”

“Want to make paczki with me?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

He gets caught up in spending time in Mrs. Jeska’s kitchen. They’re talking in Polish after about a minute and it feels like minutes later that he turns around from the stove and his dad is sitting at the table. His dad laughs at what must be a look of surprise on his face.

“I wanted to check on you but the house was dark so I came over here.”

“What time is it?”

He looks down at his flour and dough encrusted hands and cringes at the idea of reaching in his pocket for his phone.

“It’s only 6:30; I was just checking in since you didn’t answer your phone. But now I know why.” He says nodding to Stiles hands. “You look better.”

He shrugs.

“What can I say? Cooking is a stress reliever for many.”

“Well, there’s a pint of Haagen Dazs in the freezer at home for you when you get there. I’ll be home all weekend this weekend. Try to be home a little ok?”

His dad is already up and at the door to leave again.

“You, me, and Man from Snowy River?”

“Hmm, yeah and a John Wayne movie, but not Big Jake.”

“I’ll make kettle corn.”

“Is it the weekend yet?” his dad asks on a laugh as he leaves.

Stiles spends some more time with Mrs. Jeska making food and talking about everything that isn’t cancer or werewolf related. She does most of the talking but it’s kind of nice to just listen to the gossip about everybody else instead of having to talk about himself. It’s a reprieve that sticks with him when he goes home and starts his homework.

He’s not surprised that the stress comes right back the next day when he’s plunged into school and his friend group but it still isn’t desired by any means. But Stiles has been pretty good at faking things thus far.

Why should that change now?

***

Sometimes Stiles has bad days. Getting to know Stiles, Derek had experienced him to be pretty level headed. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but he just isn't an overly emotional dude. With exception to the day when he'd revealed his leukemia to Derek and the pack.

So, there haven't been many really bad days that Derek has noticed but he is already sensing a pattern somewhat. It's something in Stiles’ eyes. Like he can't stop thinking about something specific. That there's something rolling around in his brain that he loses himself in. He's extra quiet on those days. But he's quiet a lot of days now too. Now that he doesn't have to fake being ok; he just seems so tired of the act.

The last part he's noticed is Stiles’ need for touch. Hugs whenever he can get them. Small touches on arms and shoulders and the back of Derek's neck. Derek's honestly fine with it; between wanting to comfort his friend and wanting to touch his boyfriend. Derek is all in for touching.

The bad days Derek's noticed a few are far between. It’s either a testament to how strong Stiles is or how good he is at hiding things. Derek is tempted to believe the latter. It’s also probably how busy Derek has gotten with lacrosse and everything else.

One of the worst days ends up being a day that’s full of class and friends and everyone trying to keep Stiles in good spirits. When Stiles left the pack house Derek waited for a goodnight text or one saying Stiles got home safe. But when all he gets is a brief 'night' sent before Stiles should have reasonably been home leaves Derek confused. Having chalked it up to Stiles being tired and wanting some time alone, Derek got himself ready for bed. After tossing and turning for a while he decides to go for a run or something to wear himself down.

That is the only reason Derek finds the Jeep parked out in the woods. Well, he hears it first; the baseline in the music sounding through the forest. When Derek finally comes upon Stiles he can't help but wonder at the fact that Stiles isn't so much listening to the music as he is, at that volume, just letting it wash over him.

Derek knows the feeling well. Sometimes when the world is just too much you let yourself get lost in feeling something else, in letting the music dictate what you feel. He was content in the knowledge that Stiles was ok and probably didn't want to be bothered since he'd already bid Derek goodnight. However, when the song quieted and he heard Stiles sobbing he couldn't walk away.

He finally comes out of the shadows texting Stiles 'I’m in the woods' and then 'I’m coming over' to give him at least a warning that he is coming. Stiles does startle easily and he doesn’t need to trigger any panic. He watches Stiles check his phone and waits for him to look around and turn down the music before making himself visible. Then he watches as Stiles wipes at his face in a futile attempt to hide the tears that aren't stopping.

Derek just walks right up, opens the door and turns Stiles so he can embrace him fully; pulls him into his arms so that Stiles knees bracket Derek’s hips and his face can rest on Derek’s shoulder. He just holds his boyfriend and lets him cry. Something he is getting pretty good at. It’s unfortunate that he's done it enough to become good at it.

After a while he tries to calm him down with whispered words of comfort.

“You're ok Stiles, you're going to be ok."

He nearly misses Stiles saying, "what if I’m not?"

Derek freezes. It’s the first time Stiles has let any doubt in their plan seep through and Derek isn’t much excited to hear how much more there is. But he’s finds out exactly what has been going through Stiles' mind lately.

"What if I’m not Derek? What if I’m not ok? What if I get an infection and your mom can't get to me? What if I get so sick and I die before anything can happen? What if I get a cut and it just won't stop bleeding? What if- what if the bite doesn't work? What if after all this planning and preparation it just plain doesn't work. What then? I’m dead. I don't want to die, Derek I don't want to go."

Derek can’t even begin to try and stop his own tears. Stiles is so afraid; all this time too because Stiles thinks of all things at all angles at all times. He has no words of comfort to offer or reassurances because he has the same doubts. He can’t offer empty promises; not now. He holds Stiles as tight as he dares without risking bruises before he shoves him gently over to the passenger seat and crawls in behind the wheel.

Without letting his hand leave Stiles' he starts the jeep. He has to let go to shift but once they are headed back towards the house he laces his fingers back with Stiles. He doesn’t know what to do other than seek comfort from his alpha, from his mom. It wouldn't be the first time Stiles has hugged his mom but hopefully this time helps again. Knowing his mom will still be awake he drives straight home, parks the jeep again and keeps Stiles tucked into his side as they walk straight in and up to the study.

His mom is up and at the door of the study by the time they made it there. To Derek's pleasant surprise Stiles throws himself at Talia. The tears started fresh but he watches as his mom holds Stiles in her arms just like he was her own. She gives him a minute before she says anything.

"Stiles, sweetie?"

He just shakes his head but whispers, "What if it doesn't work? What if I'm too far gone already?"

She tightens her grip on him and moves them all to the couch sandwiching Stiles between Derek and herself. She doesn’t let go, though; keeping him wrapped in her arms.

"I should have explained better when you first told us, honey, but I knew. After meeting your father and then meeting you I knew from your scent you were sick. I didn't know what you were sick with though until you told us. But as soon as I realized how important you were becoming to Derek I started asking around to other alphas, alphas I knew had bitten humans before. I talked to everyone I could about all different kinds of situations since I didn't know what you were sick with.”

“But Stiles, of all the people I talked to and the emissaries I dealt with, they all said that the bite would have no problem curing the leukemia. They said that of all the things the bite heals, physical injuries are the surest to a degree that the person’s body isn’t too damaged. But the second thing was anything to do with blood related diseases.”

“Stiles, sweetheart, it’s going to work. I promise. And if you have any more doubts tell me about them, ok? You don’t have to worry alone or be strong for anyone. We’re here to help and the sooner you realize that the better off you’ll be after.”    

Derek feels useless as his mom comforts Stiles and ends up driving him home to his dad. He zombie walks himself to his room and Cora finds him just sitting at the end of his bed staring at his feet.

“So Stiles was having doubts?”

Derek just shakes his head as his little sister comes to sit next to him on the bed.

“Yeah,” he sighs. “I feel like I’m fucking this up. I don’t know what the right thing to do is here.”

“Well for starters you could spend more time with him.”

Derek looks up, mildly affronted.

“I was giving him space to, adjust to the whole werewolf thing. And the now we all know you’re deathly ill thing.”

Cora rolls her eyes at him.

“Dummy he doesn’t want space. Even I can see that. You’ve spent less time with him since becoming his boyfriend than you did as best friends. You barely answer your phone or instigate conversations like you used to either. Spend time with him you dork. That will help.”

“Why am I accepting relationship advice from my younger sibling?”

“Because it’s the same thing Laura would tell you and you know it,” she says as she pats his leg and stands up to leave. “Be a boyfriend, Derek.”

With that she’s gone and Derek’s alone in his room once again. Has he really avoided spending time with Stiles? He thought Stiles would want space. Apparently he was wrong. God he’s got to fix this. Like yesterday would have been best.

As fate would have it Derek ends up having longer practices and more homework to do the next few days and the only real conversation he gets to have with Stiles is about how most of Mrs. Dahl’s class came down with the flu.

It really shouldn’t be this hard to spend time with his boyfriend.                                            

*

It’s nearly spring break and Derek has been so busy he hasn’t even talked to Stiles today at all. Derek gets home from lacrosse and checks his phone. Again. He's been expecting a text from Stiles to be there every time he looks but there's nothing. He sighs a little, dumps his stuff in his room and heads to the kitchen for a snack. As he walks in, he overhears Genevieve talking to their mother.

"What happened after recess?"

Derek walks in at that moment and watches his baby sister’s face fall.

"Mr. Stiles needed a nap."

Talia looks up in confusion from the apple she’s slicing.

"What do you mean?"

"He was sad and crabby like me when I need a nap. He was loud and Mr. Stiles is never loud. I didn't like it."

Derek watches his mom stand with unmoving hands as she listens to Vieve elaborate. Derek’s waiting for an explanation too. He hadn't thought it was a bad day for Stiles. He hadn't been any different in their shared classes. But he hadn't texted either. Stiles always texted him during or after lacrosse.

"Then what happened honey?"

She sighs the sigh of a six year old being forced into conversation. Derek is well versed in those frustrations.

"He said he was sorry for raising his voice and left early. Mrs. Dahl told him to go see the nurse. I tried to give him a hug but he left before I could.”

Derek’s heard enough to send off a worried text to Stiles asking if he’s okay. He pockets his phone after and crosses to sit next to his little sister.

They have a snack and Derek goes off to do his homework. When he’s done and Stiles still hasn’t responded he tells his mother he’s going to check on him. He doesn’t want to risk getting pulled over so despite his anxiety he drives the speed limit. He still makes it there five minutes faster than the trip should take. He parks next to the jeep and makes for the front door.

Derek knocks and after waiting for a minute and having no one answer the door he decides to let himself in. The sheriff’s car isn’t there but the Jeep is. Stiles had said the sheriff was on the night shift tonight so Derek’s pretty confident that Stiles is home. He finds the hide a key with ease (on top of the doorframe) and goes in.

“Stiles?” he calls out into the calm house.

He tries to use his senses to take in his surroundings but he sees nothing out of place. Stiles’ Converse by the front door, keys thrown on the table with a glass of water next to them. It’s only when he reaches the stairs and finds Stiles’ hoodie three steps up and then his plaid shirt on the landing that things get weird. He’s so focused on observing he doesn’t notice the slightly sick smell that’s permeated the air in the house. He tries calling for Stiles again as he eases the door open.

His breath catches in his throat when he walks in and sees Stiles laid out unconscious on the floor.

Then he’s next to Stiles’ prone body in an instant. His position curled up on the floor makes it look like he just couldn’t make it all the way to his bed before his body gave up on him. Derek kneels next to him and puts his hands on either side of Stiles face. He looks pale with a light flush on his cheeks and he feels like he might be too warm. Derek can’t tell but he’d guess Stiles has a fever.

“Stiles, come on Stiles wake up. Be okay. Please be okay. Wake up Stiles.” He murmurs as he lightly sweeps his thumbs across Stiles cheekbones. What feels like ages later, Stiles’ eyes flutter open.

“Derek?” He croaks in obvious confusion.

“Hey.” Derek breathes with a relieved smile. “How do you feel?”

“Not good.”

Stiles tries to sit up but Derek moves a hand to his chest to keep him down. He sighs when Derek won’t let him up.

“You promised you wouldn’t see me like this-“

“No I promised I wouldn’t baby you. Finding you passed out with a fever on your floor and taking you to the ER is not babying you that’s just making sure you just keep _your_ promise.”

Stiles pouts.

“Which promise might I be talking about, Stiles?”

“The one where I do everything I can to stay alive through graduation. But you don’t have to-“

Derek growls, suddenly angry. Anger that has been fed by his pent up worry and stress ever since Stiles told him the prognosis. His mother told him to get it out and this was the worst way to do it but there wasn’t any stopping now. His grip on Stiles tightens slightly.

“Have to? _Have to?_ Fuck, Stiles.” He hesitates but his voice still comes out in an angry growl. “I care about you, do you get that? You- You are my best friend. Even if I just loved you as a friend I still would have told you about my family and had my mom offer you the bite when we found out you were sick. A part of me already feels like you’re family and that wouldn’t ever change for me. I wouldn’t want you to _die_. I don’t _have_ to do anything; I _want_ to protect you! I am a fucking beta werewolf do you know what that means?”

Stiles makes a sound like he’d answer but Derek keeps on going.

“It means I fight for my alpha, I protect her and our pack. I do whatever I can to keep everyone I care about alive. I fight. Literal tooth and nail fighting. And I can’t fight this dammit. I can’t fight the cancer for you. But you know what I can do? I can pick your feverish ass up off your bedroom floor and take you to see a doctor who knows what they’re doing so you stay alive.”

He bends over Stiles more fully until their foreheads are touching; thumbs brushing away stray tears as his voice goes softer as he finishes. He’s made Stiles cry and he feels like an absolute ass but Stiles needs to hear this.

“I love you Stiles and I will do whatever I can to keep you alive for as long as I can, understand?”

Stiles just nods.

“Werewolves have soulmates too so it’s just like humans possibly finding your one and only. The more I know you and see you in my family and in my life the more I want you to be that person for me. You get me like no one has before. I don’t want to spend my life looking for the perfect person I want to spend my time making it work with the best person I know. But I need you to _live_ to do that. I don’t know how you hold it together because I’m _terrified_ Stiles. I don’t want to lose you so soon after you’ve become one of the most important people in my life. So please, just please, just let me take you to the goddamn hospital already?”

Stiles is nodding and crying at the same time but Derek just brushes the tears away as they fall.

“I’m _sorry_. Derek, I- I don’t keep it together. But I’ll try and have hope that this plan will work. B-because I don’t want to leave yet. I don’t want to leave my dad and I don’t want to leave you or your family. I just don’t like making so many people worry.”

Derek shakes his head but moves to pick Stiles up off the floor.

“I’m going to worry regardless so just focus on finishing school and staying alive, okay?”

Stiles just nods as Derek sets him on the bed and helps him put on a sweatshirt and trade his jeans for sweatpants before he picks him up again to carry him down to his car; Stiles and his pillow in tow. Once he gets to the bottom of the stairs Stiles takes the hand that’s not wrapped around Derek’s neck and cups his cheek.

“I love you too you know.” Derek can just look at him and smile.

“Thank you and I am sorry and I’ll do better at accepting help. Eventually.”

Derek snorts and the heavy emotional remnants from the conversation are gone. He gets Stiles into the car before he goes back to lock the front door again. He climbs behind the wheel and again has to focus on not speeding on the drive off to the hospital. Stiles has his cheek pressed up against the cool glass when he asks, “So what tipped you off?”

“Aside from you not answering my texts? Vieve said, and I quote, ‘Mr. Stiles needed a nap.’”

Stiles laughs lightly.

“Yeah I snapped at a 6 year old today. He’s a little shit every single day though. Mrs. Dahl wasn’t even that mad. I think she knows I’m sick.”

Derek hums as he pulls into the parking lot.

“She’s a perceptive lady.”

He parks somewhat close to the door and gets out to help Stiles. He doesn’t carry him this time; probably didn’t need to carry him the first time but whatever. Stiles puts his arm around Derek’s waist and Derek mirrors the action. Stiles ends up clutching to Derek as much as Derek holds him up. It’s a short trip into the ER and the nearest wheelchair but Stiles is tired regardless. Derek wheels him to the reception desk where he gets that stupid questionnaire and a surgical mask for Stiles and he asks them to page nurse McCall.

By the time Stiles has answered the questions Melissa is there and she takes them back herself. Derek spends the time she’s taking Stiles’ blood pressure, weight and temperature to call the Sheriff. Predictably he’s at work but shows up all of eight minutes after Stiles’ vitals have been taken and is settled in the room with an IV administering fluids and antibiotics. Derek finds out at the same time as the Sheriff that Stiles has a fever but his dehydration and exhaustion had been the reason he’d simply passed out.

The worst part was that Stiles’ doctor decides spending time in a kindergarten classroom is too risky given how many germs little kids can carry around. Stiles just sighs like he’d seen it coming and accepts it. They want to keep Stiles overnight to make sure that his fever doesn’t develop into something worse. With the promise that he’d be discharged in the morning and that Derek could come over to make sure he spent his Saturday resting, Derek leaves to go home. 

 On his drive home he realizes he hasn’t told his mom anything. He swings by the store and calls her once he parks. He feels like a jerk when she answers in a rush.

“Derek? Where are you? Is Stiles ok?”

“Mom, it’s ok. He’s ok. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. I found him passed out on his bedroom floor he had a low grade fever. I took him to Mrs. McCall at the ER and called his dad and they’re keeping him overnight to make sure everything is ok and his fever breaks. Can we make him some chicken soup? Isn’t that supposed to be good for sick people?”

He can hear the smile in her voice that means he’s being sappy but he ignores it. He knows she can hear when he grabs a shopping cart and makes his way around the store.

“We can make him soup, dear, I’ll start making the noodles. You need to get a whole chicken, try and find a fresh one in the deli. Get a frozen one too so we can make some for the house too tomorrow.”

“Do we need anything else?”

He listens patiently as she rattles off her list of things for the soup and in general. It’s one of those things that the pack does like any family. While everyone has different roles to fulfil there are some that everybody does and knows how to do. He’s not the best at this but he manages to get everything his mom said and gets back on the road for home in 20 minutes.

He walks into the kitchen with arms laden with bags because two trips are for wimps. The bags are cutting into his arms werewolf healing be damned though. He dumps them all on the counter since his mom is using the table. Honestly, as much as he likes beef and pork and fish, it’s really hard to beat his mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup. It’s one of the few things she can make really well.

She’s covered in flour from making the noodles when she turns to get the fresh chicken and the broth he bought. There’s already a crock pot on the counter waiting with a few bottles of spices next to it. She opens the packaging on the chicken, dumps some spices haphazardly on top and rubs them in before she puts it in the slow cooker. She pours some broth in, covers it and turns it on low. Then she finally turns to Derek and pulls him into a hug.

“Sweetie. Is he really okay?”

He nods against her shoulder.

“He’s okay.”

She just holds him for another minute before going back to making the noodles. It’s kind of a long process he knows and he kind of loves his mom a lot because she didn’t really hesitate to make them anyway. She’s got the dough made and is rolling it out while Derek puts away the food he brought home. Once she gets them cut apart Derek’s there to help stir them while they boil. After they’ve boiled they scoop them out of the water and let them cool in a different container. In the end they’ve got about 4 batches made which should just be enough for everyone to have soup at least once and have a few left over.

Cora comes in towards the end and helps with the dishes. It’s nearing 11 at night before they all leave the kitchen to go to bed. Derek makes a pile of the things he’ll take over to Stiles house. He’s taking the family quilt his grandmother made, the soup, some movies. It’s all stacked up on the couch so all he has to do is grab it and go when he wakes up.

He says goodnight to his parents and goes to bed exhausted.

The next morning he wakes up a little early. He gets dressed and brushes his teeth. He finds an old empty duffel bag and goes down to put everything he’s taking to Stiles’ in it. As he comes in the living room he notices an addition to his pile of stuff on the couch. Mr. Bear is on top. Derek smiles and grabs the stuffed animal before going to find his littlest sister. He finds her playing in her room and sits down next to her.

“Did you mean to put Mr. Bear downstairs, Veive?”

“You’re going to make Stiles feel better, right? Mr. Bear will help.”

Derek pulls his little sister into his arms and hugs her until she sighs and pushes at his arms.

“Derek, let me go. The tea is getting cold.”

Derek laughs and drops a kiss on her forehead before he lets her go.

“We wouldn’t want that. I better get Mr. Bear to Stiles so he can start feeling better, huh?”

She waves him away, impatient that he’s interrupting tea time apparently. He walks back downstairs and finishes putting everything in the bag. Then he grabs the container of soup his mom has just made and makes his way to the car. He stops at Stiles’ favorite bakery on the way to the Stilinski house and picks up breakfast for three. When he gets to the house the sheriff’s car is gone from the driveway and the house is quiet. Derek waits on the porch with all his stuff for them to get there.

He doesn’t have to wait long and they’re pulling into the driveway. He leaves his stuff by the front door and goes to Stiles’ side of the car to help him. Stiles just laughs at him though and pushes his hands away. He does look better than he did the previous night. He looks a bit more sturdy and whole.

“How long have you been here, you weirdo?” he asks Derek with a smile.

“Like 10 minutes loser,” Derek grins back as they all walk up to the house.

John grabs the doughnut box, Derek grabs the duffle and Stiles gets the door. They walk in and Derek asks, “Bed or couch?”

“Couch. TV’s nicer than a laptop.”

So Derek follows them both into the living room. Stiles sits in the middle of the couch and John sits to one side and Derek takes the other. John gets the doughnuts open and is about to take a bite when Stiles opens his mouth to say something.

“Nope. I am going to eat this doughnut Stiles and you aren’t going to say anything,” John cuts in.

But Stiles just smirks.

“I was just going to ask for some juice to go with breakfast.”

John sighs and puts the pastry back in the box. Derek grabs the soup container out of the bag and passes it to him before he can leave.

“Can you put that in the fridge for me?”

“What is that, did you- is that soup?”

John laughs lightly and turns to the kitchen after grabbing the container.

“Looks homemade too, kid.”

Stiles turns to him with wide eyes.

“You _made_ me soup?”

“Uh, mom and I made it from scratch last night?”

“Dude, you’re the best. I love chicken noodle soup is it chicken noodle?”

Derek laughs at him and pulls out the quilt and Mr. Bear before he covers them up and wraps an arm around Stiles shoulders.

“Yeah, Stiles, it’s chicken noodle. And it’s the best thing my mother can make.”

“Speaking of your mother I’m kind of surprised I didn’t get a visit from her last night.”

“She was operating under the same, ‘give him space’ assumption that I have been since you told us. But she’ll probably stop by today sometime and check on you.”

“Do I need to tell you your ‘give me space’ assumption was wrong or have you figured it out yet?”

“No, no I know I was wrong. I’ll be better at just being there for you. I’m sorry it took me this long.”

Stiles shrugs like it means nothing but it was important to Derek so he doesn’t try to trivialize it at all. There’s something about him today though. He seems a little lighter, not so weighed down. Derek’s hoping that means Stiles isn’t having as many doubts. That maybe some of what Talia has explained and assured is starting to get to him.

It’s one thing to say you understand that you won’t die it’s another to believe it.

“So what movies did you bring?”

Stiles asks as he takes Mr. Bear from Derek and Derek gets up to put in a movie. John comes back with juice for all of them and they dig in to the breakfast Derek brought as Iron Man starts playing on the screen.

The day passes in a haze of Marvel movies, Stiles napping, eating and quiet conversation. They finally talk about everything that isn’t werewolves or cancer and Derek can’t believe they stopped doing this because he’s missed it.

Stiles tells him about the case and how the victims seem to be tied together in their affinity for arson. He doesn’t say it but Derek knows that they’re considering the victims to be the people who lit his Uncle Peter’s house on fire. It’s the work of a minute for Derek to also put together that the only person who would come back and clean up loose ends would be Peter himself or Kate covering her tracks.

Stiles also randomly asks him if he ever leaves his water bottle in his car when he works out. Derek nods because he does; drinking lukewarm water is better after a workout and he’ll leave his water bottle in his car to be room temperature for after his training. Stiles then tells him to stop doing that or at least lock his car after he does leave the bottle in there and see what happens.

Derek doesn’t really get it but says he will.

After they’ve eaten the soup for lunch, Talia stops by and checks in on Stiles. Stiles appears happy to see her and when Derek tries to scent his emotions all he can sense is happiness and hope. There are still twinges of sadness and uncertainty but it’s so much less than what Derek is used to Stiles smelling like.

He stays with Stiles the whole day and leaves the family quilt with him. The quilt is more a Hale family thing than a werewolf thing. But at some time or another every member of the Hale family has used the blanket and gotten their scent on it. It’s to the point that simply wrapping up in the quilt and it’s scent is a comfort for any of the Hale children. Derek figures even if Stiles can’t sense all of the importance of the quilt it couldn’t hurt to try and share it with him.

The sheriff is back at work and Derek leans over and pecks Stiles on the lips to say goodbye and leaves. It’s not until he’s three blocks away that he realizes he just _kissed Stiles_ for the first time. He very nearly turns around to kiss him properly but decides to just keep going home. Maybe tomorrow he’ll kiss Stiles for real.

*

It’s the Friday before Spring Break and Derek is doing pretty good. Just the day before Stiles had mentioned when they were talking (they talk all the time again now) that he was having a bad day and he actually had to think about who he’d call. He’s got such a good support system he’d had to _choose_ who he wanted to talk to. Derek couldn’t help but smile that Stiles was finally getting it. Finally understanding what having a pack could mean.

Stiles had also finally explained the whole deal with his water bottle. Turns out that was his theory for how he was getting poisoned. Derek would venture a guess and say he was right because he hasn’t gotten even mildly sick since he stopped leaving his car unlocked with a water bottle in clear view. He feels pretty stupid he didn’t figure that out himself.

As it is, Derek is feeling pretty good. Stiles is feeling good and they’re moving towards the end of the semester and they get the whole week off next week. Of course, he should have been more prepared for things to go to shit. He’s walking towards his locker to try and find Stiles but when he rounds the corner he nearly loses control at what he’s seeing.

Matt has Stiles backed into the lockers and is yelling at him. Nearly is screaming the abuse in Stiles’ face. Before Derek can blink he and Jackson are in front of Stiles and Matt is pushed halfway across the hall. Of course theres a crowd around them now watching what will happen. Jackson goes to lunge for Matt but Scott is there in a flash and stops him easily. Scott winks at Stiles before he turns to Matt bearing his teeth. Matt of course just keeps digging himself a bigger hole.

"What the fuck are _you_ going to do McCall? You gonna be the one to hit me? We both know little puppy McCall wouldn't hurt-"

His taunting gets cut off with Scott's fist to his jaw. He crumples and Scott pulls him back up by his shirt. 

"See, Daehler, nobody actual likes you. They just put up with you. After all you're nothing. Nothing important. Besides, why would anyone want to hang out with a homophobe asshat like you."

Scott parrots back some of what Matt had been telling Stiles and looks over his shoulder and nods for the other three to follow. If they're lucky the principle will still be there. Scott marches Dahler down the hall, his hand a firm on the back of Matt’s neck. The crowd in the hallway parts for them as they walk, Jackson behind his alpha followed by Derek and Stiles hand in hand. 

Daehler gets put in one of the two chairs in their principal’s office with Jackson holding him firmly in place with a hand on his shoulder. Stiles sits in the second chair and Derek stays next to him while Scott stands in the middle of them all.

“Boys, while I appreciate you bringing yourselves to my office after you’ve been fighting I can’t help but ask what seems to be the problem?”

Scott has become the voice of the group now apparently but nobody, Stiles least of all is vying for the position. Derek doesn’t think he could talk without growling at this point.

“Well, Mrs. Hendrickson, it seems we have a bully here in our fine high school.”

“Now, Mr. McCall, just because someone doesn’t share your particular brand of tolerance and kindness doesn’t make them a bully.”

Derek doesn't try to stop the words from coming out of his mouth when he says, “No, but slander, harassment, and repeated physical violence does.”

She arches an eyebrow at his tone but turns to address Matt and asks, “Is this true?”

“No!” he barks, annoyed. Like this is all just a huge inconvenience for him and not that he’s an asshole guilty of harassment and battery.

“Your word against his, guys-“

Stiles always does enjoy the shock factor and he so rarely gets to use it to his favor. Even Derek is surprised when he speaks up. 

“Actually. I have proof.”

Matt pales as Stiles pulls out his phone.

“You’ll see there’s a few voice memos and there’s time stamps? If you jot down the time stamps I can show you pictures with matching dates of the bruises.”

Mrs. Hendrickson looks a strange mix of pleased at the evidence and sad that this happened at all. Matt’s red in the face from embarrassment or rage and Derek can't stop smirking at Matt. Derek's the only one who knows the whole extent of what Matt had put Stiles through. But even that doesn't prepare him for hearing the recordings of Matt's abuse that goes back to last fall.

Derek can tell Stiles is thinking he does a pretty good job keeping his face carefully blank and sits quietly while she plays the audio of Matt taunting him. And name calling and threatening. All that good shit. It steadily gets worse. What Stiles knows to be halfway through one of the recordings Derek shifts back over closer and puts a hand on Stiles’ shoulder. Derek watches him realize his hands are shaking and clench them together to make it stop. 

After they've listened to the first two recordings the principle stops the playback. 

"Why now Stiles? Why did you wait so long?"

Derek feels and hears Stiles sigh before he answers. 

"He stopped for a while. So I figured I'd let it go. And he never did it in sight of a teacher until today when he blew up at me in the hallway."

She nods definitively, accepting that answer and ready to voice her plan. 

"Can you put each recording in an email with the corresponding picture and send them all to me?"

"Separately? There's nearly 15 of them."

"That will be fine. As for you young man," she says as she rounds on Matt."You will receive your punishment after break is over. You may all go now. Have a good break." 

Derek grabs Stiles and ushers him out of the room ahead of Matt and right out to his jeep. He cages Stiles in against the car. 

"You okay?" he asks softly.

Stiles doesn't just nod and brush it off.  He shakes his head. 

"Not really. Can we go to your house now?"

"Yeah, yeah we can do that." Derek assures as he pulls Stiles into a hug. "But we were going to have that joint pack meeting today. Did you want mom to cancel it?"

Stiles shakes his head. 

"No, it's fine. It's just meant to be an update and tell everybody that I'm keeping my agreements." 

Derek holds him a little tighter before he lets go briefly. 

"Wait here. Cora can drive my car home and I'll drive with you."

Stiles just nods again and shuffles around to the passenger side of the jeep. Derek runs off and finds Cora waiting by his car.  He tosses her the keys telling her he's driving Stiles to the house. He's back at the jeep by the time Stiles is settled with his seatbelt on and waiting.  The drive over is quiet and when they get to Derek's house Stiles hasn't said more than two words. 

Derek doesn't push for more and just follows him into the house. Derek goes to sit next to Stiles where he's sitting on the couch but Stiles puts a hand up to stop him. 

"Can you get that quilt?"

"Yeah," Derek says softly and presses a kiss to Stiles forehead. 

By the time he gets back with the quilt Stiles is all wrapped up in himself and Derek just sits and throws the blanket over both of them.  They sit there and let the house move on around them. After what feels like a long time, Laura comes in and turns on the TV. The longer they sit there the more pack files in. They weren't going to have the meeting until after supper but when Talia walks in to her living room and finds both packs there and waiting they decide they can get the talking over with now. Everyone is there except for Andrew who is out standing watch outside the house. 

They all look up as she clears her throat. 

"All right. We're here today to discuss Stiles. There isn't much discussion as Stiles has met all of the things I put down that I expected him to do. He has continued to attend meetings with myself and my youngest children. He has kept his appointments for regular checkups with the hospital. With exception to continuing his being a TA in a kindergarten classroom he hasn't been reckless with his health. He has plans to apply to the local tech school and his grades haven't faltered. He has also learned to trust the people who are there to help him by letting us help him. So, since he has met these initial and crucial requirements I officially bring it to the pack to offer him the bite."

Everyone in the room is so focused on Talia and her words they don't notice the person who comes into the house. 

"If there is anyone who objects to the Hale pack growing through me giving Stiles the bite you need to say something now."

Derek flinches when he hears a voice he hasn't heard in years. 

Peter stands there behind the couch smug and tall when he says, "Yeah, I think I object." 

 *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 will be more uplifting than this one was.
> 
> Chapter 3 has been updated/edited.


	4. Seven P's to Success

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so I suck at writing action sequences but I tried to fix it so it's not so rushed. Hope you enjoy it anyway!

Stiles gets wrapped up in a flurry of limbs and the blanket as Derek practically launches them off the couch. He doesn’t know who made the objection but he’s pretty sure it’s Peter. Once he’s upright and mostly steady on his feet with Derek in front of him he looks up and sees what has to be Peter Hale standing in the living room.

It vaguely registers that he probably shouldn’t be in the house? Like, let’s try and keep the murdering psycho alpha away from the small children, thanks. Everyone is up and shuffled to the opposite half of the room with Stiles, Genevieve, Tommy and Tyler behind them all. Stiles isn’t properly freaked out yet but it’s enough that his brain to mouth filter isn’t really working at top notch and before he knows it he blurts-

“Oh look, it’s Satan in a V-neck.”

Laura bursts into giggles and Talia doesn’t even spare him a reproving glance.

“You’ve been making a mess, brother. Why choose now, two years later, to come back?”

“New sheriff. Figured he wouldn’t really notice. I didn’t expect Derek to date his son though.”

Stiles can’t help but bristle. Who does this guy think he is that he would outsmart John Stilinski. The man solves puzzles for a living, obviously he’s good at it. Before he can muster indignation and say something Talia continues.

“Well you were wrong. Where’s Andrew? If you hurt him, I swear, Peter, brother or not you will not leave this territory alive.”

“Touchy, touchy dearest sister. He’s only mildly injured. I’m sure he’ll regain consciousness soon. Anyway I just thought I’d drop in and see how everyone was doing. New members Talia? Really? Boy must be some kind of special.”

To Stiles everlasting embarrassment, _everyone_ in the room but Tyler and Tommy feel the need to growl at the implication that Stiles isn’t important. Even Genevieve tried to growl her little growl and Stiles almost cooed right then and there. And just like that Peter is gone in a flash out the front door. Talia follows but Stiles guesses it’s more to find her husband than to follow her brother.

His suspicions are confirmed when she carries him in moments later. He’s bleeding sluggishly and lays limp in her arms when she walks him through the living room. Stiles marvels at her strength. Is he going to be that strong? Can he-

“Will I be able to carry you, Derek, when I’m all hopped up on werewolf strength?”

Stiles gets an eye roll but this is a serious question. It’s not like Stiles is weak, well ok, he is weak right now but he’s had muscle before but it’s been nothing to what Derek walks around with. If he gets super strength enough to tote around his boyfriend life will be good.

It takes him a moment to realize he’s thinking about life after the bite. He’s thinking about it like it’s going to work. It’s dumb but it’s a step in the right direction and just like dealing with problems, dealing with blessings has to start the same way: realizing it’s there.

While Stiles muses Derek herds him upstairs into his bedroom. Stiles comes back to himself when he gets shoved onto the bed and watches Derek shut the bedroom door, lock it, go to the window and check the locks as well as pull the shade and close the curtains. Stiles wants to laugh at Derek’s worried look and can’t quite contain his comments again.

“We preparing for the apocalypse now?”

Derek just gives him an admonishing look.

“You don’t know my uncle like I do, like we all do.”

Stiles simply nods in agreement. Oddly calm in light of his day. After the Matt thing it was wonderful to be taken care of and surrounded by pack. Having thought himself an introvert he was surprised to find just how good he felt with everyone there in the living room. And apparently not even Peter Hale can dampen his mood.

Understandably, his composed attitude is confusing Derek. After Stiles just sits there waiting for Derek to make the next move, Derek blurts.

“You- I don’t- this is not the reaction from you I was expecting. You have like zero anxiety right now.”

Stiles just shrugs because he can get that. It’s been a weird couple of months. He hasn’t been himself since he told everyone he is sick and since he learned about the supernatural. When he got sick the first time it wasn’t something that he had to think about too much. At 8 years old yeah he was aware of what was going on but it was easy to just go along with what the doctors said and not really contradict them.

When his mom got sick it was even easier to do so. There’s no cure for frontal temporal dementia. There’s no hope. So when they told him he wouldn’t survive this type of cancer he believed them. He’d never thought to have hope and when a cure was suddenly thrust upon him he didn’t really know what to think.

It’s not easy to change how you think about things. It took a bit of time but he realized earlier with Matt and even a few days ago, he’s tired of feeling sad. He’s tired of doubting Talia and her assurances. It’s like a switch got flipped in his brain and he’s finally ready to believe that he’ll be ok. He’s ready to fight and not give up.

“I’m tired of feeling afraid. If you say your mom will handle it I trust you both. I know I haven’t really been myself since this all happened. I think I’ve cried on you enough times for a few years but this is me having hope. This is me trying to trust.” He says with a small genuine smile.

“Well, I didn’t like that you were crying but it did give me a chance to hold you.”

“Dude. I am all in for the cuddles. Right now in fact. Get your laptop and get over here so we can watch something.”

Stiles watches as Derek is all too happy to comply with his wishes. Stiles shuffles back against the headboard and waits while Derek gets the computer. They’ve just gotten themselves arranged, with Derek’s arm around Stiles and Stiles resting against his chest with the laptop on their legs, and Netflix all queued up when in walks Laura. And then Cora. And then Alex.

Derek tries to reason with them.

“Guys we were going to watch something on Netflix.”

But just like that the moment is ruined. Stiles sits up off of Derek as the Hale siblings sprawl out across Derek’s bed with them. It seems like a long time before Talia comes up and tells them their dad is healing fine and that Peter is gone for sure. After they’ve all gone back to the main floor to see Andrew they have to have another gathering to lay out the rules until Peter can be stopped. It’s pretty basic as far as Stiles is concerned.

Don’t go out by yourself.

Don’t try and find him if you catch his scent in town. Just call Talia or Andrew.

Try to keep each other safe.

It’s not a proactive plan by any means. But Stiles is fairly confident in its ability to keep everybody safe for the time being. It’s getting late and Stiles is ready to go home and see his dad after the day he’s had. He’s about to say goodbye to the rest of the pack before someone grabs his arm.

Derek drags Stiles back upstairs to his room before he even gets his shoes on. Derek just keeps pulling him until they’re in the dim bedroom and then he whips Stiles around so his back is against the closed door and Derek is blocking him in. Stiles is bemused as he reaches out to pat Derek’s head.

“Hey there.”

Derek swats his hand away before he can pat him again.

“I was going to tell you some things before my siblings came in here earlier.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, and you’re going to let me get it all out before you interrupt.”

“But-“

Derek glares and Stiles mimes zipping his lips and shuts up.

“Ok, you admitted you haven’t been yourself recently and I totally get that because I feel like I have been the same way. I mean, we both got our secrets out in the open it was bound to change things, right? But mostly I just haven't known what _to do_. I mean it was all so much at one time. I mean finding out about our weird best friend/soul mate connection was bizarre but important.” He hastens to add. “And then I finally got to tell you about what I am and my family and that was awesome but then you dropped the leukemia bombshell on us and it all just kept piling up. Hit after hit, it was no wonder we were out of it for a while. But the worst for me was being at an utter-fucking-loss of what I was supposed to do. I mean, even as best friends I didn’t know what was too much or not enough. And I definitely haven’t been a good boyfriend.”

Stiles wants to protest here, he really does, because Derek has been super busy and it’s not like Stiles told him how to help or gave him any clue on what to do anyway. But Derek seems determined to say his piece.

“I haven’t made time for you and I haven’t just been there for you when you needed me. Hell, it’s been how long since I admitted I love you and _I haven_ _’_ _t even_ _kissed you properly yet._ ”

Stiles’ heart starts to beat a little faster and Derek’s smirk gets a little wider.

“But I want to.”

He leans in so close to Stiles it takes all of his willpower not to just pull him in.

“I want to see if your lips are as soft as they look. I want to know if you taste as good as you smell.”

Derek ducks his head so his nose is tucked in behind Stiles’ ear and breaths out across the sensitive skin there. Stiles’ knees only buckle a little. No big deal. But then Derek is there, holding him up, pressing him against the door and whispering right in his ear.

“I want to find all the places that make you gasp and find out what makes you feel so good you could _cry_. I want to know if your oral fixation will make you a natural at kissing or if I’ll have to kiss you for hours to teach you how.”

He pulls back, eyes dark when he grins.

“Should we find out?”

Damn, when did Derek learn to say shit like that? Stiles tries not to think that maybe evil Kate Argent was the one who taught him and decides to go for it. He pushes Derek’s shoulders and uses the surprise to his advantage and shoves him down on the bed. He hopes he’s not blushing like he thinks he is as he crawls up on the bed letting his knees straddle Derek’s chest. He gets both hands in Derek’s shirt and lifts him up a little. He means to just lean in and kiss the hell out of him but what really happens is-

“Not even a question about how flexible I am?”

“Stiles,” Derek huffs in exasperation and pulls him down.

Stiles chest is flush with Derek’s and their faces are just really awkwardly close to not be kissing. But Derek is smiling and Stiles can’t help but return it and finally lean down and press his mouth to Derek’s. It’s a struggle for his brain not to run off on a tangent about how odd kissing really is like it’s your mouth on another person’s- but then Derek’s pressing back and he forgets to think at the first hint of tongue. Before he can blink Derek has surged up and flipped them over. But he was a little over zealous with his strength and ends up knocking his forehead into Stiles’. They pull back and Stiles sinks into the soft bed as he rubs his palm across his forehead. Derek bats his hand away again to run his own thumb across Stiles’ forehead before he kisses it sporting an embarrassed blush.

“Sorry,” he whispers before cupping Stiles’ face in his hands and leaning down to kiss Stiles again.

And Stiles is all on board with this plan. He’s about to find out what opened mouth kissing is really like when the door bangs open and the lights get flipped on. Stiles startles but Derek doesn’t even move. Just stays there and looks up in exasperation.

“That’s enough little brother. It’s time for Stiles to go home. His dad just called looking for him.”

Derek just sighs as his eyes flutter closed. He gives Stiles another quick peck before he rolls off to lay next to him on the bed.

“Thanks Laura.” Derek is so done with his sister; it’s quite entertaining actually.

Laura just smiles sweetly at the both of them calling out, “anytime” as she leaves again.

Stiles turns his head to look at Derek though.

“Well, there’s one thing on its way back to normal.”

“What’s that?”

“Getting so caught up in you that I don’t pay any attention to my phone.”

Derek blushes again and goodness Stiles could watch that pink blossom on Derek’s face behind his stubble all day. He gets up and grabs one of Derek’s sweatshirts to wear home in the chilly evening and Derek follows him out to the car. When Stiles gets in the jeep he rolls down his window right away. Derek reaches in and pulls on his own sweatshirt to get Stiles closer.

His lips land on Stiles’ but he still somehow puts enough heat behind the simple kiss to make Stiles stomach swoop. He feels slightly dazed by the time Derek pulls back and chuckles at him.

“Night, Stiles. Drive safe.”

Stiles just smiles and nods as he starts the car and heads for home.

*

It’s nice waking up the next morning warm and cozy in his bed knowing he gets the whole first day of spring break with his dad. On a rare day off for the both of them they made plans. Plans that involve bacon at breakfast whenever they wake up. He shuffles out of bed towards the bathroom and sees his dad’s door is still shut.

After dealing with bodily needs in the bathroom he’s a little more awake as he heads to the kitchen. He pulls out all the stops and gets the bacon out to start making breakfast. He starts the coffee when he passes the coffee maker on the way to the stove.

Twenty minutes later the coffee is brewed, the bacon is sizzling, apples are frying in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and the bread is toasting lightly in the oven. His dad comes down the stairs in his pajamas still and rubs at the sleep in his eyes.

“Going all out today?”

Stiles just nods as he watches the bacon, careful not to let the grease splatter on him.

“We deserve it.”

“Damn right.”

John pours them each a mug of coffee and sets the plates and flatware on the table while Stiles makes the French toast and finishes cooking everything else. By the time he’s done they’ve got bacon, eggs, and fried apple French toast on the table. It takes a while but they eat through all of it. Stiles tells him about Matt and Peter and his conversations with Derek. After his dad refused to believe that was the end of it Stiles had to blushingly tell him about being kissed. Thankfully his dad didn’t make it awkward just smiled and asked if it was what he wanted before he got up from the table to do the dishes.

Since Stiles cooked his dad cleans up. Stiles heads back upstairs to shower and change. He puts on fresh sweats and a clean t-shirt and meets his dad in their living room. Whenever they have a day together they pick at least one movie to watch before they work on any cases. And if John has been working more hours than normal sometimes they forgo the casework all together. But for today they spend most of the morning and afternoon watching Lord of the Rings and just spend time being in the same room. After they eat a healthier supper they open up the Peter case. Stiles can’t decide if this goes against one of Talia’s rules but he figures he’s under his dad’s rules right now. It’s not like either of them are going to use whatever they theorize about to go _find_ Peter anyway so Stiles figures what’s the harm?

It’s a nice, relaxing day spent together before the Sheriff is on day shifts all week. Stiles will end up staying at the Hale’s for most of break anyway. They have a new training regimen to organize and start and he’d either be there or at Scott’s. But since Scott and Allison have plans for the week their parents are attempting to ignore, Stiles figures it’s safer just to go to the Hale’s.

Plus, the odds of him and Derek getting to explore this whole new world of affection that is kissing are very high.

So when Sunday rolls around and his dad is gone when he wakes up, he packs a bag and jumps in the jeep to go right over to the Hale house. He stops off at the bakery for a dozen doughnuts and a container of coffee to have with him.

Laura meets him bleary eyed and sleep mussed at the front door. She doesn’t say anything just grunts and takes the coffee from him. He takes his shoes off after he closes the front door and trails after her. Cora and Derek are nursing their own mugs at the kitchen table and Stiles sees the empty coffee pot on the counter. Laura can’t make coffee to save her life so it makes sense if she missed out on the first brew of the day she’d need it from Stiles. The doughnuts get a good reception. If brief eye contact and nods can be construed as a positive thing.

He’s mostly awake so he just grabs a bear claw for himself and pours a small cup of coffee. It’s not long before the rest of the house starts bustling around him as the younger Hales wake up and come down for breakfast. After draining his coffee he runs his bag upstairs to Derek’s room on instinct. He’s about to drop the bag on the bed when he freezes. He stands there holding the bag up while his brain processes.

Has he slept in this room with Derek before? Yes. Since they became boyfriends? Yes. On purpose? Nope.

He’s saved when Derek stumbles in and takes the bag from him and throws it on the chair. He’s still pretty groggy and drowsy; half asleep Derek is stupidly endearing. Stiles just watches Derek grab his towel off the floor and sling it over his shoulder. He kisses Stiles on the cheek as he walks past.

“I’mma take a shower. Do-“ he waves a hand back at Stiles, “whatever. Genevieve asked for you _yesterday_ morning.”

Not even a moment after Derek goes to the shower does Genevieve come barreling into the room and Stiles’ legs.

“Stiles! Stiles! Mama says we don’t have lessons today but you’re here anyway. Do we get to play spies?” Before Stiles can answer she’s turned around and is looking back out the door. She rolls her eyes as she turns back to Stiles and half shouts, “You said we would share Stiles and this is me sharing. You can have him back after lunch.” She grabs Stiles hand and pulls him back down to the main floor. Stiles really has no choice but to follow and laugh.

They play spies all morning and then after lunch Derek takes Stiles out on their ATV to a cabin a few miles away into the woods that back the Hale house. They make out for a while until they end up just curled up together with a movie they found in the cabin playing on the TV. They end up riding back in the dark for supper but Talia doesn’t do much more than smirk at them when they come in. It’s not until he goes to the bathroom to wash up that he sees the mark on his neck. It’s all he can do not to smack the back of Derek’s head when he goes back into the kitchen.

Thankfully the rest of the evening passes without any more comments but when they leave the family room together Laura mutters something and Stiles can see Derek blush ever so slightly as they climb the stairs.

It’s only a little awkward getting ready for bed and crawling in from opposite sides. But after they’re under the covers Derek just pulls Stiles’ back against his front and Stiles is left with no choice but to be the little spoon.

He’s asleep within minutes.

*

Staying at the Hale’s is pretty fun overall. They talk about Stiles’ theories on the poisonings and how the most likely culprit is Kate Argent. They can only speculate what it means that Gerard, Kate and Peter are all in town at the same time. It’s not very pleasant to think about it at all but he, Derek, Talia and Andrew spend the better part of a day in the study going over the possibilities of what it all means and what could possibly happen.

It’s Wednesday after lunch when Alex tosses Stiles a set of keys and says, “Want to drive the Camaro to get some groceries?”

Stiles side eyes him.

"This isn't some pity thing right?" Stiles questions Alex. To his credit, the eldest Hale child looks genuinely confused.

"Uh, no?" Alex winces at the way it came out like a question. He clears his throat and starts again. "No it's not. Derek told you the first time you came to the house that I let people drive my car and now you're basically pack and I'm home and offering so unless you really don't want to-"

"No!" Stiles practically yells and Alex just looks smug now dammit. "No I want to."

Alex grins and gestures them out the front door.

"Let's go then. Derek you gonna come with?"

Stiles looks at the car curiously.

"There's a backseat?"

"Yup. Get in and lets go."

But Stiles is lost in thought because Camaro and backseat and Derek sounds like a damn good time. He shakes it off and climbs in behind the steering wheel smiling like a fool. He's been waiting for this day since he first saw the Camaro. Once they're all in with seat belts on and Stiles has the seat and mirrors adjusted, because he's nothing if not safety conscious, they're off. Stiles takes it easy through the forest. Then they're on a main road and he picks up some speed.

"I'd say we could go to the freeway and you could really go but there's a patrol on weekdays."

Stiles keeps driving there anyway.

"Yep. Deputy Johnson on duty this particular shift."

Stiles is practically gleeful at this point in their adventure.

"You say that like it’s a good thing?" Alex asks cautiously.

Stiles just smiles bigger.

"He naps."

Derek huffs in amusement in the backseat and Stiles sees him smiling from his view in the rearview mirror. He knows they can hear how fast his heart is beating but he manages to contain his excitement and shift into a higher gear and then they’re flying down the highway and the rumble of the engine is the only background noise. Stiles is just pushing 100 miles per hour and is getting ready to slow down again when he sees the lights flashing behind them.

“Fuck.”

Derek and Alex are howling with laughter at him. He pulls over and just rests his head on the steering wheel.

“God dammit.”

When he sits back up and starts to pull his wallet out he catches sight of who it is in the mirror and just groans again. Alex hands him the car’s insurance card from the glove box and looks back to see Parrish walking towards them.

“I have never been attracted to a guy. Until now. Seriously is this guy real? Why haven’t I seen him before?”

“You’re not helping, Alex.”

Stiles peeks in the mirror to see Derek scowling at his brother. Like pointing out a good looking guy means that Derek isn’t attractive or something? Which, really now?

Stiles has the window down when Parrish gets there.

“Now, Mr. Hale- Stiles?”

“Hey, Parrish.” Stiles drawls with a grin at Parrish’s surprise.

“Your dad is going to kill you. Do you know how fast you were going, Stiles?”

“I plead the fifth. Also, I bet you a move in our chess game I’d get a stern look and that’s it.”

“You’re on. I was going in to the station now anyway. I’ll follow you there.”

Parrish starts walking back to his SUV behind the Camaro so Stiles leans out the window and calls after him.

“Do try and keep up, good sir.” Stiles cackles, rolls up the window and takes off again. Alex and Derek are silent. For about a minute.

“What the actual fuck, Stiles.”

Derek is still looking disgruntled in the back seat.

“What?”

“You were going _100 miles per hour_ and all you have to say is, ‘I plead the fifth lets go talk to my dad’?”

Stiles just shrugs with a smile.

“Perks of being the sheriff’s kid and knowing the deputies I guess. And my dad isn’t going to give me a ticket for that. Well, I’m hoping he doesn’t at least.”

He looks back and Derek just has his head in his hands in disbelief.   

Stiles pulls back out on the road and eases to a nice cruise at 80 miles per hour. Parrish follows right behind them as they make their way back to town. Stiles drives exactly at the speed limit once they’re in the city limits and moments later they’re parking in front of the station.

Stiles lets Parrish lead the way into the building and back to his dad’s office. He schools his expression knowing his dad will see right through it anyway. It’s more for the Hales that he appear meek and apologetic. As expected when they all file in to John’s office he takes one look at Stiles and frowns slightly. Parrish and Stiles stand in front of the desk with Alex and Derek standing together behind them.

“Hale did you let my son drive your car?”

Stiles snorts.  “Do you really have to do that dad. His name is Alex.”

Stiles looks over his shoulder and Alex actually looks worried from where he and Derek are practically huddled together they look so small and nonthreatening.

“Yes, sir?”

He watches his dad sigh and pinch at the bridge of his nose.

“I thought I told you to _tell me_ when he was going to be driving it.”

“What?” Stiles and Parrish both say at the same time, but the sheriff just shakes his head.

“You really think I don’t know how fast you would drive given the opportunity behind the wheel of that car?”

Ah ha. See he was totally right. His dad was prepared for this moment.

“How fast was he going Jordan?”

“Thirty over the limit, sir.”

His dad stares him down like there’s no one else in the room.

“Did you adjust your mirrors and seat before you took off?”

“Yes.”

“Was everyone wearing seat belts?”

“Yes.”

“Road conditions?”

“Clear.”

“Traffic?”

“None.”

“Where’s your phone?”

“Front pocket, fully charged.”

“Mr. Hale don’t let my child drive your car again-“

“Awh come on!” “Yes sir.”

“-Stiles you are going to make carbonara with real bacon tonight. Now get out of my office and go home.”

Stiles tries to keep the smugness in check but guesses he fails pretty miserably. He can’t help it! His dad _knew_ what he’d do if given the opportunity to drive a car with that much power. Derek leaves the office first with Alex close on his heels. Stiles and Parrish follow discussing the use of his extra move in the chess game. Alex takes his keys back once the three of them get outside and they head back to the Hale house.

Derek can’t get over the fact that Alex commented on Parrish’s looks and Alex can’t get over the fact that being away at college meant he missed the arrival of what is clearly Captain America’s firstborn in a police uniform.

Stiles and Derek head back over to the Stilinski house after a while so Stiles can have enough time to make the carbonara. His dad knew what he was doing when he asked for the pasta dish. Mainly because if Stiles wants it to be good for himself he has to put in lots of bacon. Skimp on the bacon and you miss out on flavor. So he makes the dish with the right amount of bacon but pairs it with a salad and hopes for the best.

Stiles slumps down at the table across from Derek as the sauce is cooking.

“Now that everything is out in the open and we’ve gotten most of it dealt with I’m waiting for the next big thing we have to deal with. I mean, werewolves, cancer, bullies, and soulmates have all been dealt with. But we still have to do something about who’s been poisoning you and what we’re going to do with Peter and finals and college. I’m waiting for Billy Mays to come back from the grave to shout, “But wait there’s more!” and throw something else on our plates.”

He looks up at Derek and finds him grinning sheepishly.

“But wait! There’s more!”

Stiles lets his head drop onto his arms and he groans.

“What. What now?”

“It’s the full moon tomorrow.”

Stiles pops his head up, “So?”

“So, you’ve officially been accepted by the pack and promised the bite. You can come with.”

“WHAT? Really?”

“Yes, really. Everyone’s home and around because of break so all of us are going to be together all night long. And you should be there to see it at least once before you get to join in officially.”

Derek explains a little about what the next day will hold before he goes home to his own supper with his family. Stiles finishes cooking the pasta and tosses a salad as his dad walks through the door a while later. It’s nice to have an evening in his own house with his dad. Not that it’s not great at the Hale’s but sometimes it’s just nice to be in your own house. He tells his dad about the full moon while they pull up McHale’s Navy on Netflix and waste the evening watching classic nineties movies. He tries to sleep but ends up tossing and turning before finally falling into a fitful sleep.

*

One of the very first things Stiles learned about in his ‘wolf lessons’ were the different levels of the shift. How for born wolves it hardly takes thought to shift even just single parts of their body into their more wolf-like counterparts. Unsheathing claws, glowing eyes or elongating teeth can all be done without any other changes occurring.

Because of Peter and the wandering betas he left behind Stiles has a wealth of sources to ask about how things are being a bitten wolf. It’s different at first, Talia explained, because for born wolves everything is instinct and a part of who you’ve always been and being bitten is a change for your body and your mind.

Outside of Stiles seeing Derek involuntarily shift when they had the cancer talk he hasn’t seen any of the wolves shift. At any level. Talia showed him her partial shifts one day during lessons when they were discussing that part of things. But even though he’s known about werewolves for months now he’s never seen them, any of them, do a full shift.

Part of him, a huge part of him, wants to ask. Somehow it just seemed a little too personal to ask one of the Hales to show him that part of themselves. He’s been content to wait until someone else mentioned it or offered. With all the drama and everything coming to light at one time it fell to the side as something of lower importance to focus on.

But now, _now,_ he gets to see them _all_ change. He wakes up the morning of the full moon and can’t help but be bursting with energy. He tells himself to take it easy so he doesn’t waste all his energy before the fun stuff even starts. He has breakfast with his dad before John just sends him out to get to the Hale's.

The drive over is uneventful but it seems his energy isn’t singular. When he gets to the Hale’s house  _everyone_ is excited.

Talia looks like she is either going to break down and alpha command everyone to calm the fuck down or just start laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Thankfully she laughs and sends all of the young people out to play in the backyard. They play lawn games like croquet and bocce ball that the wolves’ strength actually works against them in the game if they use it.

They’re outside all together running around in the bright sunshine until Talia calls them towards the house to have lunch; they eat picnic style on the back porch. Much like the youngest Hales, Stiles is tired after lunch from the sunshine and the playing and his full stomach. He winds up in Derek’s bed just to lay down and rest for a bit while Genevieve, Tyler and Tommy all nap.

Three hours later he wakes up with Derek using him as a pillow. It’s not- it’s actually not that comfortable. Derek’s arms are wrapped all the way around Stiles’ torso and has him pulled tight against him with their legs tangled. Derek’s face is buried in Stiles armpit and that just can’t be pleasant because it certainly isn’t comfortable for Stiles. He wiggles around until he is actually laying on the bed again instead of Derek’s forearms.

He feels like he’s got more energy now and the excitement hits him again full force once he’s completely awake. He starts to fidget and twitch and ends up waking Derek up.

“Calm down. Your heart is racing geez.” Derek mumbles.

“I’m _excited_ Derek! I get to see you turn into an actual wolf!”

“It’s not that special,” he mutters as he stiffens and untangles himself from Stiles.

But Stiles doesn’t let him get too far before he stops him.

“’Not that special’ are you crazy? This is a huge part of who you are of course it’s special!”

Derek is still frowning when he pulls away.

“Yeah, exactly.”

It takes a minute for Stiles to understand what’s happening. He thought he was being conscientious not asking to see this part of Derek before he was ready to show Stiles. But he hadn’t thought that him not expressing any interest would tell Derek he didn’t want to know. Or worse still, he can just picture Derek thinking that Stiles dealing with actual wolves will be the thing that pushes Stiles over his limit of what he can handle with all this. 

Before Derek can get away Stiles gets himself up off the bed and stops him against the door.

“I never asked because I wanted you to be ready. I’m asking now though. Will you show me before I see everybody else? I’d like to see just you.”

Derek’s face just melts in relief before he steels himself again.

“You’re sure? Do you want someone else up here with you?”

Stiles shakes his head in confidence.

“You’re still you, just fluffy and shorter. I’m not going to be afraid of you Derek.”

He still looks uneasy so Stiles kisses him gently and hopes it conveys all he’s thinking. He trusts Derek, he’s ok with this and isn’t going anywhere. When Stiles pulls back Derek still doesn’t look entirely convinced but does he looks a lot less uncomfortable. He’s gonna count it as a win anyway.

Derek just sighs when Stiles smiles like he’s reading Stiles’ mind.

“Just-just sit down and close your eyes.”

He pushes Stiles back onto the edge of the bed and looks at him until his eyes close. Stiles brings his hands up to cover his face just for good measure. Having his sight removed he listens instead. He can hear Derek peel out of his clothes, the clothes hitting the floor and then nothing. Then there’s a cold wet nose pressed against his hands. 

He slowly lowers them and opens his eyes. He can't help but gasp when he sees a dark grey wolf laying belly to the floor where his boyfriend once stood. But Derek whimpers and cowers even more at Stiles surprised noise. Stiles didn't think he could look any smaller than he already did but Derek is about as unthreatening as a wolf can be. Stiles fixes him with a look and slowly lowers himself to the floor in front of him. He gently lifts Derek's muzzle so he can look him in the eye when he reaches out to pet him. 

He almost stops himself from reaching behind Derek's ears but knows Derek would misinterpret that too. So he starts scratching before he asks, "Is this rude? I mean, I just assumed this has to feel good because dogs like it. And I know you're not a dog I just mean- I don't know man! This is so cool. I can't believe I'll be able to do this too someday."

He starts to ramble as his calm voice settles something in Derek. Stiles talks about what color he'd be and if he'd be tall and lanky just like his human frame is and Derek slowly sits up off the floor so he's sitting in front of Stiles instead of cowering and afraid. 

When he gets sick of sitting on the floor he gets up and crawls back into the bed. This time when Derek curls up half on top of him it's a lot more comfortable. Although he seems heavier in this form. His front half is across Stiles body with his head nestled between his paws on Stiles' chest. Stiles lets the conversation lapse in favor of running his fingers through Derek's fur and very nearly falling back asleep. 

It's only when Derek gets up, gathers his clothes in his teeth and nudges the door open does Stiles come fully awake. By the time he gets up off the bed and is out the door Derek is already back  and cages Stiles in against the wall outside his bedroom door.

Derek is a lot better at communicating with his kisses than Stiles is. But this one’s message is simple: thank you.

Stiles probably should have picked up on this topic sooner. It’s such a big part of who Derek is and the whole werewolf thing. With everything else being crazy around them this part Stiles thought he’d leave up to Derek to decide when it was the right time. Hindsight is 20/20. Luckily Stiles is pretty on board with the full wolf shift thing. Cuddles are definitely going to be an adventure of how to contain the grey hair that is going to get all over everything.

Stiles is too busy thinking on this as he and Derek head down the stairs to the kitchen. Talia is just starting supper and Stiles ends up jumping in to help. Derek and Tyler set the table and they somehow manage to get Laura to help make the salads. They feast on pork roast and loaded baked potatoes and vegetables and bread. Stiles can’t help but chuckle over his small, almost dainty plate in comparison to the wolves at the table. There isn’t a serving of food leftover after everyone is done.

This time the food is energizing and Talia sends them out to run around again to contain their energy. They’ve got a few hours to kill still until the moon rises. Stiles stays inside reading a book as it gets dark. His attention gets pulled from the story though when Derek shoves his big grey wolfy face in the way so he has to put the book down and look at him.

Stiles can’t help but smile. Derek is really beautiful like this. His happiness must be infectious because Stiles swears he sees Derek grin as a wolf. He gets tugged out of the chair by Derek’s teeth gently pulling on his shirt sleeve. Derek is taller than he expected. Like, he doesn’t have to reach down at all his hand just rests on Derek's back. Derek leads him outside and everybody’s there and everybody’s a wolf. Stiles takes a minute to take them all in. Even in this shape he can tell exactly who’s who. From their looks and their interactions he knows everyone almost right away.

Talia is the biggest and the darkest solid black. Andrew is at her right, nearly the same size and he’s a deep chocolate brown. Alex is like his dad, Laura is like her mom with a single white marking on her chest. Cora is black as well but has white marks on her paws and a single spot on her muzzle. Derek and Tyler are grey but different sizes and Tommy and Genevieve are both sandy brown in color.

The wayward betas are easy to identify as well. Scott’s pretty dark brown on his back that lightens on his stomach, Isaac is just plain light brown. Erica and Jackson are both lighter colored like their blonde hair. Boyd is grey a few shades lighter than Derek but wider in the shoulders.

All in all they make an attractive group. Stiles is again struck with the thought of how he’s going to fit in this group. What’s he going to look like? He’ll probably be just as spastic and excitable as he was before his ADHD got under control.

It’s a long night and Stiles spends a lot of it running around with the wolves but most of his time he’s quite literally just chilling on the forest floor watching. He watches everybody’s interactions. Like how Jackson will still stay mostly separate until Erica pulls him in. Boyd is content to watch over Isaac and make sure he doens’t get hurt. Scott and Cora play fight every chance they get. Derek lays down and lets Vieve climb all over him and pull at his ears and tail and goad him into playing. Tyler and Tommy and Alex have some sort of game of tag going and Talia and Andrew simply watch over everyone’s activities.

By the time he leans up against a tree Stiles is too tired to stay awake any longer. He wakes up in the middle of a cuddle pile just as the sun is lightening the sky. He’s using Derek as a pillow, Genevieve is on top of him, Scott is curled up behind his bent knees, Laura has his back and Talia’s back is against his shins. It’s pleasantly warm but he’s ready to not be on the ground anymore. Once Talia realizes he’s awake she gets up and the others follow soon after. Stiles starts walking back to the house with the wolves still bouncing in all their energy.

As he walks he texts his dad how the night went and that he’s headed for a warm bed. Which is exactly what he does when he gets back to the house. Talia had raced ahead of everyone so by the time they all get to the house she’s changed back and dressed. She leaves the door open for Andrew to get inside and presumably get dressed himself. Stiles watches briefly as the wolves line up in age order to be groomed. Genevieve is first and gets all the leaves pulled from her fur before she’s allowed into the house. Stiles stays outside just long enough for Andrew to return and order him inside.

It’s not until he’s changing into clean pajamas and climbing into Derek’s bed that he realizes how cold he got on the forest floor. He doesn’t have to wait long though and Derek is there all furry and warm. Stiles falls back asleep within moments.

*

Too soon they all have to go back to school. The days after the full moon were pretty relaxed. Everyone was a lot calmer and the rest of the break was relatively drama free. When Stiles walks into school he's thinking more about wolves and poisonings and Peter Hale than anything else. He forgets to be on the lookout for Matt Daehler all morning long. By the time he gets to lunch he realizes he hasn't seen Matt all day. Of course that's when Matt walks in to the lunch room. Oddly, everyone stops and stares at him. 

And then Jackson is guiding Lydia atop one of the tables near Matt and the door. Isaac and Boyd stand behind Matt to block the door and Scott and Jackson have him blocked in from the sides. Stiles feels Derek slide up next to him as Lydia starts speaking. 

"I'm sure most of you noticed we got a new student among us this year. You've either seen or heard Stiles Stilinski in the halls over the last few months."

Some people chuckle but most just nod in agreement. So much for Stiles thinking he was invisible.  

 

"Well, our resident insecure bully, Matt Daehler, has been harassing Stiles since school pictures at the beginning of the year for something as harmless as who he is attracted to. Now. His punishment has come through as a two day in school suspension. But I just thought the student body deserved to know exactly what kind of homophobic underhanded abusive person we have here among us. Do with that information what you will. That's all." 

She concludes with a vicious smile towards Matt as the room dissipates and blatantly turns their backs to Matt. Jackson again aides Lydia in getting from the table to the floor before the whole pack is around Stiles and directing him to their table. He's speechless once again for most of the lunch. Only when he's picked through his food enough to be somewhat satisfied and Lydia gets up to leave does he pack up his bag and follow her. She doesn't stop until they're alone in the hallway but before she gets a word out Stiles is pulling her into a crushing hug. 

 

"Don't thank me."

"Thank you."

 

He knows if he could see her expression he'd be on the receiving end of a classic bitch face. He doesn't care he just hugs her tight once more and then let's go. 

"Thank you for helping me see how not invisible I am. I just hope Matt doesn't do a 180 and try and hurt himself now or anything."

Lydia looks at him with false sympathy. 

"His mother received an email from an anonymous source detailing his public humiliation and its cause. Don't worry about him just focus on your new training."

He'd never dream of arguing with Lydia Martin and doesn't plan to do so now. Besides, this week is week one of training and it’s Laura and Cora teaching him hand to hand. He has enough to worry about.

Monday and Matt’s social death turns out to be the easiest thing he has to endure all week. He knows a little self-defense. His dad had made sure of that when he was old enough to start going out and driving alone. But with Laura and Cora he either watches them spar or gets the watered down version against himself. He learns a few new things but he’s too busy feeling like the karate kid with the wax on wax off nonsense. And then he gets tired so easily and they can’t hardly touch him or practice actual interactions because he’d bruise like a peach.

To top it off school has decided to pick up the pace in homework and projects and tests. So he’s drowning in work to do on top of being physically exhausted from his training sessions. Friday he only lasts for a couple hours of them walking him through the techniques before he just gives up and goes inside to get his homework done, drives home and collapses in bed at 10:30.

*

They've got tests and projects all week and Stiles had been so tired already and Derek doesn't know what to do anymore. They have to spend at least one day a week apart from each other. Parents orders. This week it's Sunday.

He wakes up really early for some unknown reason. His body just decides it's done sleeping and that's that. He gets up and pees and dives right back in bed with his tablet. Just because he's awake doesn't mean he has to get up yet. He makes sure he knows how to clear his browsing history before he opens a new tab to search.

He sucks it up and types in the url. Pinterest.com. He clicks the food and drink tab to just browse. There are a whole lot of weird looking dishes and breads and desserts and- what happened to just plain chocolate chip cookies or something.

Huh, well. Chocolate chip cookies shouldn't be too hard right? He puts it in the search bar and picks the best looking picture, follows the link and screen shots the recipe. After clearing the history so Cora and Laura can't find it and mock him he gets up to have breakfast. Halfway through the morning everyone's gone off to do their own thing and Derek has the house to himself. It can't be too hard right?

He thinks he’s got the dough done and it looks right after all so he starts to scoop the cookies out on to trays. He doesn’t even have the first tray done when Cora comes back home and catches him mid cookie scoop. Before she can even laugh he throws the oven mitt at her.

“Great you’re here. You can tell me if they look done or not.”

“How the hell should I know just because I’m a girl? Do you know the last time I baked something? Probably years.”

“Yeah, and how many times have I baked? How about never. Just- the directions said ‘golden brown.’ They were golden brown when I put the dough in the oven. How dark are they supposed to get?”

“Well, maybe not that dark.”

He walks in to school the next day with a Tupperware full of flat crunchy unattractive cookies because Cora had stopped him from just throwing them all out. She'd made him save them and threatened to tell Laura if he chickened out. So here he stands already embarrassed as he walks up to Stiles’ locker. Stiles closes his locker door and turns to look at Derek. His face scrunches in confusion.

"Dude. Your face?" He puts his fingers together and adopts a frightening Hispanic accent. "You look like the cat who swallows the chicken!" At Derek's look he sighs, "John Wayne movie? Rio Bravo? Nothing? Fine. What's up dude?"

Derek's back to his timidity. He looks at his shoes and mumbles.

"Dude I have no idea what you just said."

He lifts his head but keeps his eyes closed when he shoves the container in Stiles’ direction. He feels Stiles take it and says with eyes still shut, "I made you chocolate chip cookies but they didn't turn out and Cora made me bring them to you even though they're bad."

He waits. And then waits. And then Stiles still hasn't said anything so he opens his eyes. Stiles is staring at him with wide open eyes and the biggest smile Derek has yet to witness from him.

"You made me cookies."

"Yes."

He doesn't understand the look Stiles gives him before lips are on his and Stiles is kissing him right there in the hallway.

In the hallway at school.

Derek could get used to this.

He licks his lips after Stiles pulls back and says, "So baked goods huh?"

Stiles flushes even more and it's goddamn breathtaking.

"I'm always the one giving it's nice to receive. And yes I'm aware of the innuendos available for that statement."

Derek chuckles finally feeling like they're on even ground again. Stiles shakes himself from whatever thoughts he's having. Hopefully ones filled with Derek and some well fulfilling activities. Oh god. Stiles is even influencing his inner monologue Derek's chagrin at that is forgotten when Stiles actually sees the cookies. He gets this look like he's unsure of what to say. Unfortunately Derek doesn't know if he'd rather have Stiles laugh or lie. He looks at the floor scratching a hand across the back of his neck.

"You don't have to- I mean I know they're-"

"We could try again?"

And yeah that’s like, the perfect response. He snaps his head up and sees Stiles visibly struggling with what he wants to say next. He sidles up and puts his arms around Stiles waist.

"We could do that."

Stiles nods but he's still not saying something. Derek waits. Stiles breaks his gaze to stare resolutely at his chest instead.

"I could teach you with my mom’s recipe."

Derek's breath hitches. Mrs. Stilinski is not someone either Stilinski men talk of frequently. So Derek pulls him into a proper hug before he can get away.

"I'd like that a lot Stiles."

They throw away the cookies but plan for Stiles to teach him the coming weekend. This week is easier on Stiles, Derek thinks. He’s training with Boyd, Erica, and Isaac this week. They got assigned things that will take practice just like fighting does.

Boyd’s going to go over stealth and quietness. Erica is going over his senses that aren’t sight. And Isaac is taking him to the vet clinic with Scott and Deaton to play with puppies. All three betas were excited to be included in Stiles werewolf education. It’s one thing for Talia to explain what it will be like with knew senses and abilities that she’s had all her life. It’s quite another to be able to throw multiple people at Stiles who each had different experiences when they changed. There is more than one perspective on what it’s like to go from ordinary human sensory levels to a supernatural one.

Boyd is going over how to walk without making a sound. How to breathe quietly and how to move without disturbing things around you. They spend the afternoons after school walking through the woods attempting to scare as few animals as possible.

Isaac takes him to see animals both as a break from the physicality of the others trainings and to teach. Deaton has two new dogs and a new cat that haven’t met either Isaac or Scott. So Stiles will see how animals react to a werewolf’s presence. And what they do to either assert dominance or assure the lack of threat.

Erica is working on his other senses, mainly his hearing. It’s one thing to be given enhanced senses but if you don’t actually utilize them at their normal levels it will only be harder to do so when they’ve been turned up to eleven. For two days after school they blindfold Stiles and all three of them just move around him and he has to hear where they’re at and try to catch them. He gets pretty good at it by the second day and can catch Isaac pretty easily. Boyd is harder just because he is _so_ _quiet_ _._ Boyd can sneak up on anyone in the pack, even Derek.

Most of the things they’re all working on won’t really make sense until after the change. But getting some exposure to what he’ll learn after the bite will only help him progress in his control of his new abilities.

While Stiles is off training Derek gets some time to himself. Which, in the winter didn’t really make a difference, but now that it’s spring he’s got work to do. He spends the week in his gardens pulling out all the leaves he’d packed onto his plants the previous fall. He pulls weeds as he goes and makes a mental list of what he’s going to plant and where. The vegetable garden needs to be tilled soon to avoid a lot of weeds. When he’s out shopping for the specific things Stiles requested for their cookie lesson he picks up what he needs to get his vegetables started inside the house until the soil is warmer.

If feels like time flies by when he’s busy with so many different things and soon enough it’s Friday and he and Stiles are leaving school. Stiles had forgotten to put something on his first list so they’re stopping by the grocery store for chocolate.

“But we have chocolate chips at home.” “Not Ghirardelli chocolate Derek. Trust me.”

With the correct chocolate in hand they go home and start the process. Derek gets the Kitchen Aid mixer out and puts it on the counter while Stiles assembles the ingredients. Once everything is laid out Stiles sits down and starts directing Derek in what to do.

“Ok, two sticks of butter. No don’t microwave them, cold will work just fine. Break them apart just a little and turn the mixer on low. Perfect.

I know it’s weird but just bear with me. Three fourths cup and then another one eighth cup of brown sugar. Pack it in their firm. Yeah, like that. Then with the mixer still running just slowly add it in. oops. No worries just scoop it off the counter into your hand and add it in.

Next crack an egg at a time into the little bowl. Gently dude. Now you have little pieces of shell to deal with. Dial back that werewolf strength for the second. Yeah, like that. Ok you guessed it just leave the mixer run and add them in.

Ok now the bread flour. Go really slow so we don’t end up with flour everywhere. Then the normal flour. Perfect, Derek. Now that it’s really a dough add in the chocolate and they’re ready to scoop.”

It’s actually really fun and even the dough looks better at this point than Derek’s first attempt. Stiles only lets him eat one scoop while they’re scooping it out onto the pans. Which is just unfair because really? Who doesn’t eat the dough? Two hours later and the dishes are done, there’s a whole container full of cookies and a plateful for his family for after supper.

At the very end Stiles comes over to where Derek is leaning against the counter with a fresh, gooey cookie and goes to feed it to Derek. Derek pulls him in and keeps his arms around his waist as he gets a handful of deliciousness shoved into his mouth. Oh god, the innuendos _that_ inspires. His lips are still chocolatey when he leans down and kisses Stiles. He pulls back slightly and watches Stiles’ tongue dart out to get the smear of chocolate.

“Thank you Stiles. For teaching me that.”

Stiles smiles that grin that’s just for Derek and kisses him again.

“It wasn’t as painful as I was anticipating. It hurts less now thinking about her with the pack around me. Not that she’s being replaced but that…”

He trails off but Derek gets it, he thinks.

“Family. We’re not replacing your family just giving you a new one?”

“Yeah,” Stiles sighs, “exactly.”

They stand there holding each other for a little while longer before Talia comes in to start making the evening meal. They are banished from the kitchen and end up outside with Derek’s siblings playing. By the time Talia calls them in they’re all flushed and sweaty and smell of the forest but nobody cares. They all exclaim over the cookies after supper and Derek gets to see that blush settle in on Stiles cheeks.

It’s adorable, as it always is.

*

The third round of new training is a lot less taxing for Stiles. He’s got school under control and planned out for the next couple of weeks and this week’s focus is meditation and anchors. He gets to spend his afternoons with Tommy and Tyler and Vieve going over different techniques. It’s fun watching the younger ones try and calm down long enough to stop squirming in place and actually focus. Mainly because it’s just as hard for Stiles.

Talia had explained at length about focus and anchors and what or who it will be. Stiles finds it’s easy to calm himself and focus when he thinks about his parents. The loss of his mother is still a raw wound inside of him but the more he deals with it and thinks about it the easier it becomes. It doesn’t really hurt any less but he gets used to living with it. He’s a lot calmer when he goes home to his dad every afternoon and does his school work.

It’s not until the weekend that he realizes he’s hardly seen Derek outside of school for the past two weeks. His dad is busy all day Saturday so he once again finds himself going over to the Hale’s after he wakes up. Derek’s still sleeping when he gets there on the weekends normally so he just goes right up to his room. He’s halfway to falling into the bed when he realizes Derek’s not there. Huh.

Stiles goes back out into the hallway and quietly slinks through the house. The stuff he learned with Boyd was the easiest to put into immediate practice. It’s easy to walk nearly silently now as he looks for Derek. He’s not inside which means he could really be anywhere but Stiles didn’t see him outside when he pulled up so he’s probably behind the house. Stiles goes through the front door after closing it with care makes his way around the house in the damp grass. It’s finally getting warmer and spring has truly arrived in California now.

Stiles sees him off in the backyard in the open space between the garage and the tree line. He’s on the ground bent over the dirt and Stiles realizes as he walks up that Derek is gardening of all things. He doesn’t really try and sneak up on him but Derek actually startles when Stiles says hello.

“Holy- geez. Those stealth lessons with Boyd sure taught you well.”

Stiles just smiles proudly at having caught Derek off guard.

“What are you doing?”

Derek shrugs and the tips of his ears go pink like he’s embarrassed.

“It’s nicer being outside working in the morning before it gets too hot.”

“You garden?”

“Uh, yes? I used to do this with my mom before she got so busy with work. Then she noticed I um, I’m kinda good at it? So now it’s my responsibility to plant the vegetables and take care of all her flowers since she’s too busy and I’m good at it so it makes sense.”

That’s actually really cool. Stiles’ mom tried keeping houseplants alive and failed miserably over and over again. But she could cook like a pro. Stiles got that from his mom and doesn’t really care that people could say it’s girly that he bakes and cooks and cleans. Who the fuck really cares? It doesn’t matter that he’s a dude he just likes it so he does it and it helps remind him of spending time with his mom. Why would he ever make fun of Derek for doing the same thing?

“That makes a lot of sense. Is it something you want to do for like a job? Or is it more just for fun?”

Stiles couldn’t be a chef as a profession. He likes it and it’s his stress reliever but to work as a chef or a baker would ruin it for him doing it so often and being required to do it. He doesn’t really want to ruin the thing that he does to stay close to the memory of mom.

Derek shrugs still looking embarrassed but says, “Yeah, I think so. I mean, I want to know more about it all I guess. I got an A in Biology last year. I mean like, I got a 100% in the class. And I know if I study plant sciences it’ll be a lot more than just biology but I’m obviously good at it and I like it so I guess that’s what I was thinking I’d study when I go to school.”

“That’s awesome that you know what you want to do Derek and it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You gotta do what makes you happy. You were clearly focused because I managed to sneak up on you just now while you were working. Where do you think you’ll go to college? We haven’t really talked about much that’s not graduation or ‘bite’ related.”

It dawns on Stiles how true that is. They’ve never really had the conversation of what they’d do after graduation because Stiles wasn’t expecting to be around much anyway. Then with the solution of the Bite it gave him something to make living until graduation more of a goal. But beyond that he hadn’t really thought what he’d do. Before all the cancer talks and everything he wanted to be a cop. Well, start with being a cop, he wants to be a detective like his dad. Now though he doesn’t really know if being a werewolf will have to change that. Something must show on his face what he’s thinking about because Derek turns around and pulls Stiles into his arms on the ground.

“Well, you’ll be at the tech school here right? I’m thinking I can’t really go there for plant sciences. I’m thinking somewhere close. Maybe UC Davis. I got accepted there on scholarship from my grades so I’ll only be like, 45 minutes away. Alex and Laura went all the way to Berkley and that wasn’t too far from the pack but I don’t want to go that far from you.”

Stiles shakes his head, “You can’t base where you go to college on me, Derek. That’s not fair to either of us.”

Derek just fixes him with a look.

“Soul mates remember? I’m not going to handle being any further away than that. This isn’t some high school romance I’m basing this on. I have to think about what I’m comfortable with and this is my limit. Besides, Davis is good for studying agriculture and plants and stuff. It’s not like I’m skimping on my education to stay close.”

Stiles doesn’t quite agree yet but agrees to drop it. Derek shows him what he’s working on and how he’s planting the carrots he started in the house two weeks ago. They work in the vegetable garden for a couple hours before Stiles gets tired and goes inside. It’s a relatively calm weekend that leads into his next week of training.

This time around he’s learning first aid with Melissa and Scott. He learns the basics of tracking with Allison every afternoon after school for the whole week. And he gets to end the week with a shopping trip with Jackson and Lydia. That in and of itself was entertaining, just watching Jackson feign his dislike for Stiles the whole time. But every time someone would get too close to Lydia or Stiles as they walked through the mall he’d be there to walk in between them. It was actually pretty amusing watching Jackson be all protective.

He doesn’t go to the Hale’s at all that weekend because he’s just so tired and he doesn’t have the energy to go and play with Genevieve or even really to drive over there. By Sunday night he calls Talia and Melissa because he thinks he’s sick and needs someone to take him to the doctor or something because his dad’s on overnights and they haven’t talked all weekend. Talia rushes over and carries him out to her car.

He doesn’t even feel a little embarrassed and she sincerely thanks him for calling her and asking for help before it got any worse. They get to the hospital but all they can tell them is to stay hydrated and if it gets worse to come back. There isn’t a cure for the common cold. They call his dad on the drive home to tell them what the doctors said. He’s not going to be able to be of much help so Talia is already working it out so she can take the next two days off of work.

When they get back to Stiles’ house Andrew and Derek are there waiting. Derek takes Stiles upstairs and helps him get into the shower. Meanwhile, Talia changes the bedding on Stiles bed and remakes it with clean sheets. Andrew puts the food he’d picked up on the way in the fridge and brings a small lunch cooler up to Stiles room with a few cold Gatorades and an ice pack. Derek gets Stiles some clean, non-hospital-germy clothes out of his dresser and takes them to the bathroom when he hears the shower cut off.

Stiles really isn’t used to being taken care of so thoroughly. But after his shower, fresh clothes, sheets and glass of water he’s already starting to feel better.

Of course that lasts until about 5 am the next morning when he wakes up with a stuffy nose and a sinus headache that borders on a migraine. His dad has a case (one that’s not Peter related) that he has to keep working so he spends the day being cared for by Talia and Derek once he gets out of school. By day three he’s goingstircrazy underTalia’s watchful eye and since he’s on the mend convinces her that he and Derek can go over to see Mrs. Jeska.

He’s missed all of his training he was supposed to get this week. This round was going to be the last of it with school starting to wrap up and AP tests starting. He was supposed to visit Talia’s firm, spend a day with Andrew on his Park Ranger patrol and an afternoon with Melissa. Instead he’s been home sick and now he’s on his way to be doted on by Mrs. Jeska.

Derek walks with him down the street to her house and has to help him up the stairs. Stiles is so ready to not be tired all the time and worn out by walking such short distances. Mrs. Jeska is there waiting at the door and ushers him right into the kitchen. He gets directed to sit and to introduce his friend.

“Mrs. Jeska, this is Derek Hale, my boyfriend.”

She smiles big and knowing as she shakes Derek’s hand.

“Ah, yes, the werewolf.”

Both his and Derek’s jaws drop. Stiles has _never_ told her anything about the pack as much as he wanted to. Derek looks genuinely scared and Stiles realizes this is probably the first person outside of family to ever know what he is without him telling them.

“Don’t look so surprised boys. Your grandmother, Amelia? She was my best friend when we grew up. I used to come visit your house every time she was in town.”

Derek looks like he’s trying to remember something when his eyes go big in recognition suddenly.

“You’re the lady who always brought us those sausages every time you’d stop! I knew I smelled something familiar in here.”

“Yes that was me.” She says with a smile.

After that it’s mostly generic conversation. When is Talia going to bite Stiles so he can be cured of this awful cancer? How is Amelia doing after losing her husband? What is Derek going to do for college? They talk and talk and sometimes she’ll remark to Stiles in Polish about how Derek is such a nice young man. Or about how handsome he is. Or how she can see in the way he looks at Stiles that he really cares about him. It’s such a nice break from sitting in his misery at home being sick he’s sad to see it end when Derek pulls him from the chair where he’d nearly fallen asleep.

Lydia brings him his homework the next day and he gets to go back to school for class on Friday.

Stiles is fully recovered by the weekend and goes to the Hale house for the first time in two weeks. They spend most of Saturday discussing how the murders have stopped but Peter hasn’tleft. Talia’s worried about what it all points to and how bad the falling out between Peter and Kate Argent is going to be. The most unnerving part is the knowledge that the rest of the Hale pack won’t be left unaffected but they will have no idea when or where or how everything is going to go down.

*

All Stiles has to stress about are finals, graduation and being turned into a werewolf. No big deal. And yet somehow the three weeks fly by and he’s walking across the stage in a cap and gown. Most of the group had their parties before school finished so everyone could go out to the Hale’s on the day of graduation. Lydia made valedictorian and gave a speech and Stiles was happy to sit as salutatorian with the same GPA.

The biggest thing was that by this time in the course of the leukemia Stiles is weary. He is beyond tired. He feels weak and fragile and useless. By the last week of school shuffling from class to class wore him out. He’d made it to everyone’s grad parties but each time he only lasted for half an hour before he had his dad drive him home.

So on the day of commencement Stiles is prepared to be worn out by the end of it. The day starts after he wakes up at 10am getting in as much sleep as possible. While he showers his dad makes him brunch. Then it’s getting dressed, taking pictures in the cap and gown and driving to the school. There’s a few too many pictures before the ceremony starts but then he gets to rest while he sits through the speakers.

The moment he walks across the stage and gets his diploma he really takes a minute to be proud of himself. He went from hopeless to hopeful. He went from being all alone with no friends to having a pack and a family. He’s learned so much and made so many plans for his future. He has now completely lived up to Talia’s expectations and requirements. He’s going to have a future now.

After the ceremony ends they all take about a thousand pictures of him looking particularly sickly. And then after 50 different combinations of people in each picture they finally call it quits and leave the school. Derek’s party, even though it’s at his house isn’t just for him; Isaac, Erica and Boyd are all claiming this party as theirs as well. Everyone from both packs are there and their families. Derek’s extended family is all in town so the party spilled out from the house and into the yard to accommodate everyone.

After getting introduced to every single member of the Hale family Stiles is officially tired. He figures if he could just rest for a little bit away from the crowd he’ll be up to the bonfire after the party. So he sits out front on the bench in front of the porch on the lawn. This way he gets to sit and rest and say his thanks and nice-to-meet-you’s as everyone leaves.

He’s starting to feel a little better by the time he thinks everyone has left. Scott’s car is still there as well as all of the Hale vehicles that are usually parked there. His dad left a few minutes ago with Melissa; Stiles is staying at the Hale’s for the night so they’re off to go on a secret date they think their sons know nothing about. They’re not very sneaky.

He hauls himself up off the bench moving towards the house to find Derek and a sweatshirt. He’s making his way up the steps when he hears a car coming up the driveway. He stops on the porch and looks back seeing an SUV pull in that he thought would be his dad.

It’s not his dad. He doesn’t recognize the black suburban at all. He doesn’t even think it’s one of the guests from earlier either. He’s going back and forth between wanting to go find a Hale and just seeing who it is. But something in his gut says he shouldn’t trust whoever it is that just showed up.

An old guy and a woman who looks to be in her mid-twenties get out of the vehicle walking more towards the backyard than towards the house. Stiles walks over to the corner of the porch to see if they just didn’t notice him.

“Can I help you?” he asks.

The woman stops and smiles at him while the old man keeps walking with purpose. Stiles feels exposed at the way she looks him up and down and smirks.

“You Stiles Stilinski?”

“Yes,” he admits hesitantly.

“Good.”

And just like that she’s pulling a gun on him. He hardly has a moment to react and let his flight instinct kick in before he hears a gunshot. Pain explodes in his shoulder as he watches her walk away. It’s not some slow motion realization or dramatic fall to his knees. It’s more like he staggers back from the force and falls flat on his back on the porch. His vision goes blurry from the fall or from the pain he doesn’t know which.

Kate’s gone and Stiles lies there staring at the porch roof until Derek’s panicked face comes into his view. Both his hearing and his vision go funny from the adrenaline rush and the pain. He phases in and out of awareness for awhile but he somehow manages not to lose consciousness.

Around him, though, it’s not so simple. Derek is barely keeping it together but he runs back in the house to get the first aid kit, the big one for big injuries and his phone. By the time he gets back to Stiles’ side he’s called John to get him and Melissa back as soon as possible. He gets himself back kneeling next to Stiles with his phone and the first aid kit resting on the porch.

He gets out the compresses and has to shift Stiles to see if the bullet went through and through. When he sees the exit wound he nearly panics again but remembers his anchor to keep him calm and keeps going. He’s got the wound wrapped to stem the blood loss but if his mom doesn’t get here soon he’s not sure Stiles is going to make it. His only hope is that the throw down between Kate and Peter he just knows is happing in his backyard doesn’t take very long.

Behind the Hale house it’s a lot more chaotic. The Hales were cleaning up the backyard when they heard the gunshot. Talia is stopped short from running to whoever was shot when she sees Gerard walk around from the front of the house and Kate follows a moment later. She doesn’t even have to look to know that Peter has emerged from the other side of the woods and is coming towards them.

She is left wondering why this all has to involve her pack at all since they clearly just want to kill each other. And Talia wants to let that happen. She and Andrew had discussed what would happen between these two in the end and what she might have to do to her own brother. For all the trouble he’s caused and for all the people he’s hurt and all the messes she’s cleaned up after him she is less and less willing to call him ‘brother.’ She’d had many conversations with her husband after the meeting where he vaguely threatened Stiles. If he ever actually threatens one of her children, Stiles included, she won’t hesitate to end him.

She’s pleased to see Cora pulling the youngest along with her into the house. None of them need to be at risk in this. She moves back away from the house where lines are clearly being drawn. By the time she’s back in the middle of the clearing behind the house Andrew and Alex are at her back. Laura is behind them watching the Argents, particularly Kate. She’s also happy to see that Scott’s left too; hopefully to help whoever got shot out front. She takes a moment to piece together that Stiles had been the last one out front, sitting on the bench saying goodbye to everyone as they left and thus, probably the one who got shot. Motherfuck.

Kate speaks first, always taunting.

“Sorry about your prospect beta. Couldn’t have the pack growing any more now could we?”

Talia’s eyes glow red.

“If Stiles dies and you live through Peter, you won’t live through me.”

Peter doesn’t say a word before he jumps at Kate and just like that the fight starts. Gerard brought backup; it looks like the Hale’s will be outnumbered after all. That is right up until Chris and Allison come crashing in against their own family. Peter and Kate are fighting hand to hand. Andrew and Gerard are doing the same with Talia taking on three foot soldiers with Alex. Chris and Allison are trying to contain the others and Laura is trying to break in with Peter and Kate.

It’s loud and focused and nobody notices the one minion pour gas along the base of the house and another circling the house with ash. Derek and Scott are too focused on keeping Stiles coherent to try and stop them when they get to the front of the house. Cora is in the basement of the house trying to shield the youngest Hales from everything that’s happening and couldn’t know that they’ve all been trapped in the house.

Everyone freezes when Kate goes down. Peter has his claws at her throat and Gerard yells for him to stop. Andrew has Gerard by the throat as well though but lets him go when Gerard points to the minion with the match and the gas can right up against the house.

“You kill my daughter and I kill everyone in your house and the mountain ash around the building means no one will escape either.”

Talia, Alex and Andrew all let the hunters they’d managed to subdue back up. Gerard is looking at Peter waiting and Talia can see all over his face that this day is going to end in Kate Argent’s death no matter what.

Before Talia can say anything Peter rips out Kate’s throat right there and the hunter drops the match.

Scott jumps off the porch and grabs the lit match in his hand before it can fall in the gasoline. He hisses at the heat before he punches the hunter in the face knocking him out with one blow. Gerard actually roars in his rage and pulls his gun on Scott. Andrew and Talia are there to gut him before he even gets the shot off. The hunters scatter and Alex and Laura have Peter on the ground. Chris and Allison let the men run away before they are running to each other. Gerard falls to the ground unmoving. Talia turns to take care of her brother when she hears Derek call out from the front of the house.

“Mom! Mom, please. Stiles, he- he’s lost so much blood. I don’t know how much longer he’ll last.”

She turns immediately to the house and stops in horror when she remembers Gerard’s comment about the mountain ash. If all the planning and fighting and worrying gets wasted because of that bitch Kate and a line of mountain ash Talia might just break down right now. Before her panic takes hold Scott responds to her hesitation, “Don’t worry about the ash, I broke the line out front.”

“You _what?_ ” she asks incredulously.

“I broke the line? I mean, it was really difficult I had to push against this barrier and stuff but I broke it.”

Talia strides over in disbelief and grabs his shoulders.

“Scott you should _not_ have been able to do that. Show me your eyes.”

Scott’s eyes glow and everyone gasps when they glow alpha red. Talia just puts her face in her palm.

“Soul mates, cancer, feuds and now a true alpha. I shudder to ask ‘what next?’”

“See, maybe some good came from all of this yet Talia.” Peter dares to say.

“Excuse me?”

“What,” he shrugs. “I mean when you lose your prospect beta you’ll still have a true alpha to worry about challenging you.”

“Any reason I’m going to lose Stiles when I haven’t had the chance to bite him?” she asks stalking towards her brother slowly.

“Someone might just take offense to the Hale pack growing even more. Someone might be jealous and try and steal him for their own.” He says all nonchalant.

“Someone, huh? I’m sorry, are you threatening my pack, Peter?”

“And if I am? What are you going to do about it dear sister? Kill me like you did Gerard?”

“I don’t see why not. I don’t have a brother anymore which makes you a threat just like he is.”

He charges her in a rage, breaking free of Alex and Laura’s hold. But his rage is his downfall. He doesn’t think and doesn’t fight he just throws punches. Talia has him on his back in seconds; it’s all she has to spare from Stiles.

With one hand of claws to his belly and one on his neck she lets him decide his own fate.

“Will you leave this pack alone? Will you leave and never come back?”

“Never. I’ll never stop-“

Her claws dig in and his words stop. She doesn’t watch as the red fades from his eyes as she’s already running back to the house, to Stiles. She doesn’t have to worry because as part of their discussion, Andrew will be the one to ensure Peter’s death and burial. By the time she makes it around to the front of the house the Sheriff and Melissa are running from their car and Stiles is just holding onto consciousness.

She runs up the steps and kneels next to Stiles. Derek watches his mom put her hand over his on Stiles chest and lean over to try and have Stiles focus on her and her words.

“We were going to do this in a week right Stiles? Everything is the same, our plan for after will be exactly the same. Just don’t panic and believe it will work ok? Your dad is here and everything. John I need to do it now. Are you okay with this? This is the last chance?” She looks up as the sheriff makes it to the foot of the stairs.

“Do it.” He says with confidence. “Save my son, we haven’t changed our minds about this.”

With that she looks to Stiles again with a hand on his cheek she feels him nod ever so slightly before she leans down and bites his chest right next to the wound.

***

Andrew likes to boast to his wife that from the very beginning he knew they would be expanding the pack. When Stiles Stilinski tripped his way into their home and their lives he knew that was it. Derek had found someone who would always be in his life. Talia likes to tote that she knew almost from the beginning that she would need to bite him to save his life from some sickness. Of course neither could have predicted soulmates and bullet wounds.

After the graduation party and the battle after, it all ended in Talia biting Stiles to keep him alive. Melissa McCall was there minutes after and began treating the gunshot wound immediately. After the bullet was removed and the wound dressed it became a waiting game.

The werewolves knew his heart was steady and his scent wasn’t that of death or decay. Stiles was fighting. He was unconscious but alive. The bullet wound healed by the next morning but Stiles remained asleep. They put him in the spare room but with blankets that smelled like Derek and pack. Talia and he took shifts watching over Stiles when it became clear he wasn’t going to wake up right away. Derek’s been in a state of near panic since the shooting and the Sheriff hasn’t been able to stick around to wait like he wants.

Which is why after almost a week and a half of watching and waiting, Andrew is alone in the house with the kids. The sheriff is working, Talia is shopping for groceries and stopping by the firm to catch up on work and make sure things are running smoothly in her absence. Derek was driving Andrew nuts again with the nervous hovering so he’s out running. Alex, Laura and Cora are out working their summer jobs. So it’s Andrew, Genevieve, Tom and Tyler in the house when Stiles wakes up.

***

Stiles wakes up slow and groggy. The last thing he remembers is hearing Talia ask him if she could bite him. He’s a little fuzzy on exact words because the wound in his chest and the growing numbness was more of where his focus was at the time.

They had talked about the plan to bite him so often he has it memorized.

They were going to get through graduation, get everything settled with the school for certain and have one last appointment with the cancer center. After that they were going to set Stiles up in the guest bedroom with a blanket from Derek and the family quilt he used when he got sick.

Derek was going to stay with him and his dad was going to be there when he woke up. Talia would be there too, they’d all promised.

They’d been advised that because of the cancer’s advanced stage the bite might take a while to heal him completely. So they’d been prepared for some time of Stiles being unconscious. And Stiles had only had a single panic attack when he thought about it all; really thought about the fact that he’d be turning into a werewolf.

So they’d planned. And as long as they stuck to the plan Stiles would be able to stay calm.

Throw Kate Argent in the mix and suddenly he’s got a bullet hole in his shoulder and a frantic alpha.

So he wakes up and he’s hoping for the plan to have reset while he slept. His dad will be there, Derek will be there and Talia will make sure he doesn’t freak out and hurt anybody. He’s fully awake now but he keeps his eyes closed. He pretends it’s like the game Erica, Boyd and Isaac played with him. Without using his sight he tries to figure out what’s going on in the room. He can only hear one person, one _heartbeat_ , in the room with him but if he tries to listen throughout the house he can hear other people rustling around in the living room.

Ok, ok. So there’s only one person in the room with him. He’s maybe been asleep longer than they planned. Maybe they had things to do? Yeah. Yeah that’s it. Ok so it’s probably Talia that’s in the room. That’s fine maybe his dad is at work. And Derek. He’s just out for a minute right?

He’s calm. He takes a deep breath. That- that person doesn’t really smell like Talia but what does Stiles know about a person’s scent yet? He takes another breath. He’s calm. He is. His heart isn’t racing at all. He is not panicking. He refuses to panic.

“Stiles calm down.”

Oh god that’s Andrew. That’s not even Talia or Derek. Before he can really think he’s up off the bed huddled in the corner. He feels something poking his hands and he unclenches his fists to see that he has claws. Motherfucker he is panicking. He doesn’t really register anything else in the room over the sound of his own frantic breathing.

He knows someone else comes in the room and tries to talk him down but the only person he needs right now is his dad. He tries to count his breaths and tries to calm his breathing but then someone touches him and he lashes out because the last thing he needs is someone touching him right now.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there unable to breathe or focus or calm down before he’s on the verge of passing out. But then he takes a breath in through his nose and smells something achingly familiar and comforting. He breathes in deep again to try and figure it out and it’s –it’s his dad’s cologne. He can hear things now besides the blood rushing in his ears and it’s his dad’s voice. He’s saying something. Doesn’t matter what, it’s calming just hearing his voice. It's stupid but it finally relaxes something in his brain and he can breathe again.

He looks at his dad reaching out towards him and once he makes eye contact and nods a little. Then his dad is there pulling him up out of his crouched position against the wall. He’s unsteady and almost falls just shuffling back to the bed but his dad keeps him upright as they both get back on the bed.

He lets himself get wrapped up in his dad’s arms and realizes he’s making these embarrassing needy sounds. But his dad just lets Stiles curl up right next to him with his head on his chest and runs a hand up and down his back getting him to breath and think and calm down.

After a few minutes Talia comes rushing in and Stiles is coherent enough to notice. He’s mostly calmed down now and knows he’s okay, they hadn’t left him they were just out doing something…

“Where were you guys?”

He’d be embarrassed about how rough and pleading his voice sounds, but he thinks he’s entitled. Getting shot, turning into a supernatural being and enduring a mini coma will do that to a person. He’s pouting and he probably looks ridiculous but he’s still feeling dizzy and worn out. He needs to know they’ll still be there when he wakes up the next time.

Talia doesn’t even try to brush off his petulance; she’s radiating concern as she steps towards the bed with Derek close behind.

“I had to go to the office. And Derek was driving Andrew crazy with his pacing so he was running.”

He feels his dad’s chest vibrate when he says, “I was in my office picking up paperwork to work through while I waited. You just had to pick the one time we all were out of the house to wake up.”

He just shrugs and puts his head back on his dad’s chest because there’s nothing really to say to that. Talia keeps moving towards him and he looks at her questioning her slow, careful movements.

“What?”

“Can we touch you now? You clawed Derek pretty good earlier.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Actually I’m a little dizzy but-“

He doesn’t get to finish before Derek is on the bed right next to him and Talia is out the door. He looks at Derek hoping he conveys how confused he is with his mother through his expression. All he gets is Derek shaking his head and clinging closer, practically pulling him away from his dad.

“She’s getting you Gatorade and food. Low blood sugar is still a thing and not at all fun as a werewolf either.”

Stiles hums in response and lets himself be positioned to Derek’s cuddling satisfaction. He closes his eyes to figure out what’s all going on in his head. He breathes in and all he can smell is Derek. It sounds dumb but Derek smells _wonderful._

“You scared the shit out of me. Are you really okay?”

Talia comes back in the room with crackers and Gatorade with Genevieve and Tommy and Tyler trailing in behind her. Stiles gets shuffled to the middle of the bed so everyone can sit down somewhere next to him while he eats his crackers and sips at the drink. He takes a moment to really think about Derek’s question.

He’s got his dad, his soul mate, his pack. He thinks of the family of people that adopted him in with hardly a second thought. He’s got a lot of work to do to learn about his newly bestowed abilities. But he’s alive. He’s alive and he’s not alone anymore.

“Yeah.” He smiles, “Yeah, I’m great.”

*

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had someone ask me for the recipe for the cookies Stiles teaches Derek to make so I made a [text version](http://acountrygirlsfun.tumblr.com/post/124542117528/rich-gooey-chocolate-chip-cookies/) and a [picture version](http://acountrygirlsfun.tumblr.com/post/124542074853/anon-asked-if-the-cookies-from-nothing-to-lose/)!

**Author's Note:**

> There it is! If the ending seems rushed there's more of Stiles learning to be a werewolf coming as a sequel.
> 
> Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. I don't have a beta. That being said if anyone finds something wrong or if something doesn't make sense let me know!  
> come talk to me on [Tumblr](http://acountrygirlsfun.tumblr.com) pretty please.


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